Bikepacking - a viable alternative to racks & panniers

Sounds like a great challenge, good luck!

You too as well, the longer the better!

Ed have you got a route yet? I remember reading about a couple that cycled there - could have been on the Charge bikes blog. Might be of some use to you.

Alpkit finally released their framebag;

http://www.alpkit.com/shop/cart.php?target=product&product_id=16786&category_id=324

and it's sold out

made to order.

They are? If they're anything like other alp kit stuff It'll be a bargain.

This is also a good link-

Alp kit now have a bikepacking category;

http://www.alpkit.com/shop/cart.php?target=category&category_id=324

They required you to buy it, send you an instruction on measuring your bike, send it to them and they'll cut it to fit perfectly.

Seemed like a good deal for something that'll take a noticable amount of weight from panniers/handlebar bag.

Yep - just was I was thinking.

I guess you could just strap a dry bag with sleeping bag inside to the handlebars? Rather than a proper bar bag?

As a test run, I took the rack and the paniers on the Dun Run, the tent and everything else on the left, the sleeping bag was in a compressed bag and still took the whole right panier. I was still cold during the night by the way :(
I don't understand how this bike-packing with full camping gear is possible and I'm usually quite good at lightweight traveling.
Thing is one of the rack eyelets/rivets is now threaded so unless I drill my Alu frame, I might not have a choice in the future.

Sleeping bag in SaddleBag, tools-cooking-clothing in FrameBag, tent in HandleBar Bag and hydration in a camelback?

I was on a fixed Tricross for those who might have spotted me, I arrived at around 6am.

Think I may have spotted you.

full camping gear is possible, it's the choice of equipment and what's necessary required.

tent - do you think you can get away with just a bivvy during the dun run? also did you take a thermarest?

equipment like a thermarest can take up a considerable amount of room, something that an Klymit air mattress can easily take up a space smaller than a bidon.

sleeping bag - this is the summer, a thin sleeping bag would be sufficent, like the cheap Snugpak travelpak Lite which cost around £30 and perfectly fine in temperature that's not below 5 degrees.

I can easily fit them all, including the £25 tent whose reviewer said that a flood victim would not sleep in, in a seat bag.

Sleeping bag in SaddleBag, tools-cooking-clothing in FrameBag, tent in HandleBar Bag and hydration in a camelback?

Sleeping bag/clothes/tent part/stuff you won't need to take out during the tour in SaddleBag.

cooking/tools/hydration pack/emergency kit/tent part etc. in FrameBag.

remanding tent in smaller compressor bag in HandleBar Bag.

i.e. cheap £25 tent + klymit mattress, which only fill a little less than half the volume of the bag, enough to add a sleeping bag and a bit more clothes.

The poles and the pegs can be strapped in the framebag.

Have contacted alp kit re a frame bag with extra padding to stop tools bashing the frame.

Got this reply:

"Great to hear you're interested in one of our framebags! We've had other instructors who've seen the demo bags and thought they'd be a great alternative to lugging a heavy backpack around on trips. They also keep the weight nice and low on the bike and are excellent for stashing mars bars and jaffa cakes in!

There is padding in the framebags around the frame sides. So far we've been putting this in to cover two thirds of the sides (it stops half way along the top tube and starts again about 10cm along the down tube). However, there's no reason why we couldn't put the foam all the way around. Double padding would also be an option, or perhaps adding some velcro loops to secure tools inside (we'd have to discuss price on this as there would be extra labour time/ materials etc.)?

Also, dependant on the size of your frame you might find that a velcro divider helps to stop things moving around inside so much, and will stop the sides from bulging out too (it can always be removed).

We could do the extra side padding at no extra cost, although the velcro divider does cost extra.

Drop me an email if you have any more questions. If you want to go ahead and order a bag then you can always pop a note on your order about the padding, or email the customer service team once you have your order number. "

I am really tempted and interested. Fuck, I am turning into scoble, a bike with mudguards and now possibly bikepacking too.

After reading this thread I rigged up a ghetto bikepack seat pack for an overnight trip (staying in a pub) this weekend. I plan to ride in a Lycra kit, so I needed a change of clothes, plus shoes and other stuff. I've managed to fit jeans, jumper/sweater, t-shirt, underwear, shoes, toiletries, small towel and tools in this small back pack and strapped it to my seat post and saddle rails. I also used a small cargo net for added security. Pretty happy with the results.

I totally stole the idea from this bike...

Great job, did it not get in the way of the cantis?

Great job, did it not get in the way of the cantis?

Slightly, but I've pulled it up a bit and it works fine. It sits about an inch about the canti's now, and doesn't affect the cable at all.

So I did ~170km's with the bag strapped like this. No real issues, but it did affect the rear brake a little bit. A bit more tweaking and it woudl work perfectly.

Was nice not to ride with a back-pack.

how badly would the alpkit frame bag affect the handling of a bike in cross winds?

It doesn't get affected.

To be fair my framebag fill half the inside triangle, but it didn't get affected by crosswind, the only thing that does is simply the wheels.

Any saddle bag reccomendations, wont be used for touring as per just longer rides, doesnt need to be waterproof. looking for cheap and chearful..

theres some for half price planet-x own brand, or is it worth spending more?

Specilailed wedgie is good. Unless you need bigger.

Just pre-ordered a RePackWX and Fuel Tank from bikepack.eu... they're out of stock on the website so I emailed and they said it'll take a couple of weeks. Hopefully I'll find the time to go on a short tour for a few days in early September to test them out.

So, I was planning on an alp-kit Hunka bivvi, for stopping somewhere for the night on the way to Paris at the start of next month, but delivery has now been pushed back and pushed back to the point where I don't think I'll be able to get one to me in time. Planning on going with a Carradice Nelson, with sleeping bag strapped on top, and an outfit inside it, small cheap frame pack for tools/spares and stuff. Can anyone recommend another bivvy bag in the same price range? Or will I do better with a tarp rigged to my bike as a support?