Bikepacking - a viable alternative to racks & panniers

whats a good lightweight/cafe lock to carry? Have 2x Hiplok Z-Lok 'cableties' already ..

I have a couple of hiplok FLX which despite feeling cheap and flimsy have done a couple of years regular service without complaint

Apidura Top Tube bag arrived. The 1l one. Really well made and really light too. Glad I went for the 1l. The smaller one would have been too small.

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Ottolock v2

Looks good, Is there a budget version?

Or has a discount been wangled for this as well!?

You're all so obsessed with money!... It's really quite vulgar! :p

Think out aloud here, so shoot me down, does anything exist that uses the fork brake hole to stop a bar bag dropping down onto the front wheel?

A front light :)

Little front rack....nitto or similar

fenders....

It's just an idea in-case my luggage gets too big, CX bike with carbon forks so no fenders or lights. Need to get a bag/holster/other first.

I suspect there's probably some degree of bikepacking bags being developed for off-road bikes, thus more likelihood of suspension forks being involved, and thus fixing mechanisms relying on the bars rather than the fork.

For bikepacking I have a hardware store DIY job: ~80cm of 3mm-5mm braided steel cable that I have crimped to have small loops at the ends, and a tiny but good lockwood padlock (basically the size of a luggage lock).
Allows me to loop it all up and slide it into the map pocket of my frame bag, is light enough, strong enough to be a hassle to any would be thieves at an isolated campsite. Can loop it through frame between frame bag, and through wheels.

How did you crimp the ends to make a loop?

I assume using something like these

http://wireropeshop.co.uk/wire-store/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=1_65

As per Aroogah's link, I used ferrules. I don't have a crimping tool, so I lay it on a bench vice and used a blunt cold chisel and a hammer to crimp them.
I can loop it up into a circle of about 15cm that can then be pushed into an oval as my pocket is rectangular. As it is wire rope it does have a bit of spring to it so it isn't as "squashable" as other alternatives.

Doing a week of road touring this summer, mostly - if not all - camping, panniers would be my last resort, hoping to get some bags and strap everything to the bike, just wondering what people’s reccomendations are for various bags? Preferably on a budget but equally I don’t mind paying for quality if it’ll last.

My current plan is;
-saddle pack for clothes
-‘anything’ type cages strapped to forks one for hammock/tent, one for sleeping bag
-partial frame bag for misc bits/extras
-downtube mounted bottle cage for bottle tool kit
-tt back for Charing/phone etc.
-possibly a stem cell or two for food/extras?

I use narrow bars and ride small frames so my out front clearance for a hardlebar pack is limited, firstly does that sound like a sensible luggage list? And second what are good saddle packs, frame bags, tt bags? There seems to be a lot of choice these days!

Cheers!

Widlcat for the saddlebag - had an used mine for 5 years and I love it
Alpkit bundle for the stem cells and gas tank bag
Framebag from whoever really, the quality on the cheaper ones is pretty similar. I love my wildcat one.

Probably wouldn’t bother with a bar bag. If you’re able to, a front rack with a dry bag or Rando bag on could be useful.

Re the frame, TT, saddlepack, Stem pouches... Restrap, Restrap.... Restrap

From Yorkshire with love (:

http://bikepack.eu/ is a good price/quality comprimise if you don't mind the 4 week wait.

Where's your water going?

Bottles in the usual place under the partial frame bag - if my frame will accommodate it...

Ah, is the toolkit bottle under the downtube then?

Correct - sorry wasn’t at all clear about that.

Thanks for responses guys, will deffo take a better look at wildcat & restrap, always nice to buy UK stuff where possible!