Bikepacking - a viable alternative to racks & panniers

@skinny straps a drybag to his bars. There's quite a few pics of others doing it during TCR, etc. I tried it but don't like too much shit hanging off my bars.

A few litres fit between the aerobars and 8l can be strapped under them, it looks like this:

It's fine for clothes, sleepingbag and such, if you pack it tightly. The bag needs to be the right size and packed well to fit firmly, better to not put anything you need often in it. That's an Alpkit drybag with loops for the straps.

Some good deals on Revelate Framebags and more here, just paid £110 for a XL framebag delivered:

https://www.bikester.co.uk/search.html?id=0&strSearchQuery=revelate

Planning a mash up of the Cairngorms Loop in October. We wont have time/fitness for whole 186 miles so i'm wopndering if anyone has done it beofre and knows the bits "not to be missed".

Currently thinking of heading out of aviemore on the outter loop before cutting over by the Ryvoan Bothy to head down Glen Derry. Depending on progress we'd stay at Hutchinsons hut the first night, then over to Braemar for breakfast/brunch. Aftrer that I'm not sure. Perhaps down to Blair Athol via Glen Tilt and continue round the outer loop. Alternative is head for Inner loop to head back towards Aviemore.

Anyone get any tips on the above? Have I missed anything that should not be missed? I reckon we'll aim for 35-40 miles a day as I dont like rushing and we struggled to get above that during a trip round the lakes last year.

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https://ridewithgps.com/routes/16650111

Not sure if been covered before but does anyone have any experience of/thoughts on these? 15 quid posted?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/8L-10L-Black-Bike-Bag-Saddle-Tail-Seat-Waterproof-Storage-Accessories-Useful/201961534675?_trkparms=aid%3D555018%26algo%3DPL.SIM%26ao%3D2%26asc%3D20140122125356%26meid%3Dc643c5a313b0491ab2d4e0ff6ae27f9a%26pid%3D100005%26rk%3D4%26rkt%3D6%26mehot%3Dpp%26sd%3D122638300808&_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851

I've got the waterproof version, it's good. Doesn't wobble much, hasn't fallen apart yet, can cram a bunch of stuff in it. Takes 30 seconds (max) to put on and take off.

Sweet, might invest. Where did you find the waterproof version?

I got it from AliExpress, looks like it's on eBay too: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/401357426114

You can catch fish with them too I heard

Nice, cheers. Handlebar bag looks decent too for the money

Back from 240km across Ireland along the Grand Canal and a good chunk of road. Maybe 100k of it (maybe less) and tbh, we found it tough going. Over 100k on the first day and camped in a forest during a rain storm. We got up the next morning and only managed less than 40km before the lack of sleep and pain was too much, so we did a tour of local distillery, ate, drank and slept a lot ... in a hotel. Another 100k or so the next day was a lot easier and we made it to the train station to get back to Dublin in decent time.

Lessons learned for this one.

Don't leave your bags out in the rain overnight.
Set your tarp up early, even if you need to leave it to go get food.
Bring insect spray.
Find a smaller sleeping bag.

I really like my Apidura bags, but I had to lift the brakes to goober level to get the handlebar one neatly away from the cables, which kinda sucked.

Otherwise a successful trip.

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Time for wider bars ?

Does the bar bag not come with foam spacers? Otherwise revelate sell them.
Or make some yourself.

My first setup was a drybag and spacers made from a toiletpaper roll wrapped in gaffa tape. Worked.

Bars are already really wide tbh

Am looking into this, but from photos, I could also have tied the bag a little more efficiently.

I used my tubus logo rear rack on my ogre with 27.5x3.0 and a pair front panniers the other week. Managed to squeeze along narrow bridle paths and handling was fine along the Ridgeway.
Not sure I really see the advantage of a soft bag over the rack on the rear for my needs but that cheap Ebay one looks worth a punt for just a night away.

Thanks for the tip

Its tapered front to back which is nice

Just need my new bikepacking forks to come now!

Tapered really is clever.

Just need my new bikepacking forks to come now!

Yeah yeah, I'll finish them tomorrow.

😘

If it was tapered even more it'd be like a faux mudguard.

great! I went out with mine on the weekend - it's amazing how much the bag swallows!

What lightweight bar bag to take a gilet, jacket, tube and food? Liking the Mack workshop offering at the moment.