Changing Gear from Bike Touring to Bikepacking
Are we Bike Touring or Bikepacking?
The true nature of the difference between “bicycle touring” and “bikepacking” seems to generate endless discussion. That’s partly because the definitions blend into each other, with no clear line where one ends and the other begins. For some, it is about the type of bike, the size of tires, how you carry gear on the bike, and the amount of weight carried. For others it’s about where you ride - in the backcountry, on dirt roads and trails, on or off pavement. Still others make the distinction more philosophical. Anyone interested in the finer points of the bikepacking vs bicycle touring discussion can check out this video by well known bikepackers, appropriately enough called: What is Bikepacking?
For us, “bikepacking” involves travel through backcountry areas where towns are smaller, and services are fewer and farther between. This is typically on unpaved roads, 4x4 routes or trails. And you often spend the night camping in remote areas, under the stars.
The emphasis on off pavement travel requires modifications to the usual bicycle touring setup, using equipment commonly associated with mountain biking, such as:
Wider tires to handle rugged terrain
Straight handlebars (instead of drops) to improve agility and handling
Lighter loads so that the hills and rough surfaces are a bit less taxing
More powerful brakes like disc brakes, with large rotors to better manage speed on loose-surfaced, downhill trails
All of these concepts have influenced our choice of equipment for our upcoming trip. Have we fully embraced the hard-core bikepacking ethos? Well... perhaps not fully. You can be the judge. However, since we will be riding the Western Wildlands Bikepacking Route, and since we meet our personal bikepacking criteria above, we will be calling it a bikepacking trip. Here is our equipment list that we hope will get us to the end of the trail:
The Bikes
Perhaps the most visible transformation in our gear is in the bicycles themselves. Pretty much the only part of the bikes that hasn’t changed from our tours across the USA, Europe and Africa is the pedals. Otherwise, from top to bottom, these bikes embody the move to wider tires, straight handlebars, disc brakes, and even a totally different drive train that protects the gears from the elements.
Bike Frames: Tumbleweed Prospectors. New for this trip. The Prospectors are “expedition mountain touring bikes,” and should be able to handle the backcountry trails (steel frames, 27.5” wheels, and plenty of tire clearance).
Handlebars: KOGA Denham Bar. Being accustomed to drop handlebars, we were particularly attracted to the “horns” that support riding in a more aerodynamic position on these otherwise straight bars. Also, there’s enough room between the horns to fit the various items we want to have mounted in our cockpits.
Gears: Rohloff Speedhub 14-speed. We finally made the leap to internal gearing - no more derailleurs! Rohloffs have a reputation for being incredibly reliable, even on dirt roads and trails, because of their sealed gear mechanisms. Although we’ll need to change the oil in the hubs every 3K miles (5K km), we’re hoping the Rohloffs will provide many miles of worry-free cycling.
Brakes: Avid BB7 Disc Brakes with 180mm Rotors. This is another big change for us. We’ve aways been fans of rim brakes because of their simplicity. But steep, off-road cycling demands more braking capability, so it was time to make the switch to disc brakes.
Dynamo Hub: Schmidt SON28 with Sinewave Reactor Charger. For those unfamilar with these components, the end result (with a little wiring added in) is a USB plug on your bike for charging. The idea is to be able to re-charge our backup power banks while riding, to help keep our electronics juiced up during times when we won’t have access to electrical outlets. Success will depend in part on how fast we can ride (to create enough electrical current), how durable the hubs are, and not screwing up the wiring from the hub to the charger. Even in the best of conditions, the hubs produce a very slow trickle of power. So, we are still undecided on whether all this is worth the trouble and expense, or whether we should have gone with extra power bank capacity. As with many things in cycling, there seem to be widely varying opinions on the matter. We’ll let our own personal experience with the hubs decide whether or not this was a good idea. Stay tuned.
Saddles: Selle Anatomica H2 (his) and X2 (hers). This is a new type of saddle for both of us. After riding over 10,000 km on his Brooks B-17, PedalingGuy decided to change things up and try the Selle Anatomica. After only about 600 km, the Selle already feels softer than the well used Brooks, and absorbs more of the road. PedalingGal was a bit sad to move on from her much-loved Selle Italia Diva Gel saddle, which may be the most comfortable saddle she has ever owned. But, since she has worn out several Diva Saddles in just the last couple years, she is hoping for something more durable with the Selle Anatomica.
Pedals: Catalyst Pedals (Pedaling Innovation). This is one of the few bike components we haven’t changed. We made the switch to flat pedals in 2019 for our trip across Europe, and haven’t looked back. We particularly appreciate the big platform on these pedals, which support a variety of foot positions. The large platform also means you do not need as stiff a sole on your riding shoes. The downside is that the large size is more cumbersome when storing your bike or hike-a-biking. There may be a few scars on PedalingGal’s legs to attest to this.
Tires: Schwalbe G-One Allround Tubeless (27.5” x 2.8”). Plus-sized, tubeless tires seemed like another essential change for extended off-road travel. Tubeless tires will allow for lower tire pressures, more puncture resistance, a small amount of added shock absorption, and better handling in off road conditions. The low-profile tread on the G-One Allround tires should provide good traction on dirt and gravel, in addition to smoother rolling on pavement (which makes up 20% of the Western Wildlands route). Although the lack of big knobs could reduce grip in mud or slippery conditions, we thought the tradeoff made sense for this trip.
Racks: Tumbleweed Mini Pannier (front and rear). These racks are wide enough to fit around our beefy tires, and relatively lightweight (given their width). Using this rack on the front also gives us the option of strapping items on top of the front rack (like extra water, when needed).
King Titanium Manything Cages: Light, strong, corrosion resistant, versatile, holds 1-2 liter water bottles without blinking, and everyone needs a little rare metal on their bike to be fashionable.
Rear-view Mirror: Zefal Spy Mirror. They’re small and super-light (less than 1 oz). It takes some fiddling to find a good position for them on the handlebars, but once you find the right spot they work well. They’re very stable (no vibrating), and the image is both bright and sharp (although a little small).
Kickstands: Click-Stand. The Tumbleweed bikes aren’t compatible with the kind of incredibly stable, double-leg kickstands we’ve been so happy with in the past. Being able to stand the bike upright is particularly helpful when loading up gear, when there isn’t anything to lean the bike against, and occasionally when you stop and don’t want to lay the bike on the ground. Click-stands, which basically prop up the bike on a foldable, aluminum pole, seemed like the best alternative to a traditional kickstand.
TOTAL BICYCLE WEIGHT: PedalingGuy = 38.5 lbs. PedalingGal = 37.5 lbs (appx 2 lbs heavier than our old Surlys)
PedalingGal’s Tumbleweed Prospector, all parts assembled. She got a small frame, while PedalingGuy has a medium frame. Click on any photo to see an enlarged image. Copyright © 2019-2021 Pedals and Puffins.
Luggage
Here’s where our hybrid approach (i.e., backpacking vs bike touring set-ups) is most evident. We made a concerted effort to choose smaller, more lightweight bags (compared to our previous bike tours). And we’ve moved away from touring bags that fasten to the bike racks with plastic clips (which rattle and are prone to failing on rough roads). But we still chose to use panniers rather than seat packs or handlebar rolls, for accessibility and to give us enough space for very long trips which can require more gear and space for food and water.
Panniers: Arkel Dry-Lites (4 each). We’re using these on both the front and back. They’re very lightweight and completely waterproof. They fasten securely to the racks with velcro straps, so they won’t shift around or rattle. We are uncertain how durable they will be on long trips - time will tell. And since they are what some refer to as mini-panniers, and hold only half as much as our Ortlieb touring panniers, they helped impose some discipline on how much stuff we could pack - 59.3 oz each
Handlebar bag: Ortlieb Ultimate 6+ (medium). We decided not to go with the more fashionable handlebar rolls that are part of the typical bikepacking kit, but to stick with our tried-and-true Ortliebs on the handlebars. We already own these which is a plus, and they are super convenient. They are also relatively small compared to what many backpackers put on their bars, which should help to keep weight lower on our bikes, where it is more stable. Weight includes shoulder strap - 22.0 oz each
Frame bags: Rogue Panda (custom sized). These will be handy for carrying heavy items that are best carried toward the center of the bike, again helpful for bike handling and stability. When needed, we’ll be able to carry 10L of extra water just in the frame bags (between the two of us). This will be important when cycling through the desert. We wish our frame bags were larger, but the center triangle on our small and medium sized frames is smaller than many other bikes - His: 17.5 oz. Hers: 14.2 oz.
Stem bags: Revelate Mountain Feedbags (2 each). These are well made and were easy to find - a serious bonus with bikepacking gear, which is often made in small quantities or made to order with long wait times for delivery. Using frame bags means you have to find another location for carrying accessible water. These bags serve that purpose. - 7.3 oz each
Top tube bag: ROCKBROS (just for him). This bag provides PedalingGuy with another water-resistant spot to stash a few accessories within easy reach - 4.2 oz
Backpacks: Northern Ultralight Sundown. These replace the Ortlieb Rack Packs we’ve taken on previous trips, and will ride on top of our back racks (held down by a pair of ROK straps). The idea is that they’ll be easy to throw on our backs to haul gear off the bikes or for hike-a-biking. Plus, we’ll be able to use them for overnight hikes should the opportunity arise. They’re designed to compress in size when they’re not full - 27.2 oz (his), 26.3 oz (hers)
Day pack: Sea-to-Summit Nano Pack (for her). As the name implies, this baby folds up into a tiny, little ball (about the size of an egg) and it’s incredibly lightweight. It is mainly for use off the bike - 1.1 oz
Z-Pack Mulit-Pack (for him). A waterproof, dyneema fabric bag that can be worn over the shoulder, around the waist, or attached to a backpack. Replaces a day pack for PedalingGuy, also for use off the bike - 3.0 oz
Miscellaneous stuff bags, zip-locks, bungee cords, straps, etc.
TOTAL LUGGAGE WEIGHT: PedalingGuy = 9.4 lbs. PedalingGal = 8.7 lbs.
Fully loaded. The Northern Ultralight Sundown backpack is inside a Sea-to-Summit waterproof sack, on top of the back rack. Copyright © 2019-2021 Pedals and Puffins.
Clothing and Shoes - On Bike
Overall our clothing kit hasn’t changed that much from previous trips, but we both have managed to reduce the weight a little bit.
Shirts (1 each). A lightweight merino wool for him, and lightweight technical jersey for her - His: 5.4 oz. Hers: 4.2 oz.
Shorts (1 pair each). His: Myles Apparel Everyday short - 8.3 oz. Hers: Club Ride shorts - 7.7 oz.
Underwear (2 pairs each). Padded, to go under those shorts. PedalingGal also needs a sports bra - His: 6.2 oz. Hers: 8.6 oz.
Arm covers (1 pair for her). Louis Garneau arm-coolers for sun protection - 1.3 oz
Leggings (1 pair each). Since 2019 we’ve both been using full-length leggings instead of leg only, cycling leg-warmers. They provide more overall warmth, and fewer distractions from the leg-warmers falling down while you ride - His: 5.6 oz. Hers: 6.3 oz.
Warm top layer (1 each). Enlightened Equipment synthetic vest for him. Fleece pull-over for her - His: 5.2 oz. Hers: 7.4 oz.
Wind-breaker (1 each). Mountain Hardwear Ghost Whisperer. Extremely lightweight and packs down smaller than your fist. His: 2.8 oz. Hers: 1.8 oz.
Rain jacket/shell (1 each). Outdoor Research Helium II rain jackets. His: 6.7 oz. Hers: 5.6 oz.
Rain pants (1 each). Outdoor Research Helium rain pants. His: 5.8 oz. Hers: 5.4 oz.
Biking gloves (1 pair each). Basic, open finger gloves. Nothing fancy. His: 1.4 oz. Hers: 1.5 oz.
Full-length gloves (1 pair for her). Brooks running gloves. 1.7 oz.
Wind-proof mittens/shell (1 pair each). His: 0.7 oz. Hers: 1.4 oz.
Cycling Socks (2 pairs each). PedalingGuy is trying out a pair of Smartwool socks. If he likes them, PedalingGal might make the switch, too. His: 2.7 oz. Hers: 2.3 oz.
Waterproof socks (1 pair each). His: 2.0 oz. Hers: 3.1 oz.
Waterproof shoe covers (1 pair each). His are basic covers that just wrap around the shoe. Hers are full-on foot protection, that extend up over the ankles - His: 1.8 oz. Hers: 4.0 oz.
Balaclava (1 each). Enlightened Equipment Hoodlum. These are primarily for extra warmth while sleeping - 2.3 oz.
Neck buff (1 for her). 1.4 oz.
Biking shoes (1 pair each). Solomon trail runners (his) and Merrell light duty hiking shoes (hers). His: 29.4 oz. Hers: 22.3 oz.
Bike helmet (1 each). Giros. His: 10.6 oz. Hers 10.9 oz.
TOTAL ON-BIKE CLOTHING WEIGHT: PedalingGuy = 6.1 lbs. PedalingGal = 6.2 lbs.
Clothing and Shoes - Off Bike
Short-sleeved shirts (2 for him, 2 for her). His: 11.8 oz. Hers: 7.4 oz.
Long-sleeved shirts (1 for him, 2 for her). His: 8.8 oz. Hers: 11.6 oz.
Long pants (1 each). His: 17.1 oz. Hers: 11.7 oz.
Underwear. His: 5.0 oz. Hers: 4.8 oz.
Socks (2 for her). PeldalingGuy will use the same socks for on and off-bike. 2.3 oz.
Sleeping socks. Cotton for him, wool for her. His: 1.3 oz. Hers: 2.5 oz.
Baseball cap (1 each). His: 2.3 oz. Hers: 2.1 oz.
Down coat (1 each). His: 13.2 oz. Hers: 10.7 oz.
Sandals (1 pair each). His: 21.4 oz. Hers: 12.8 oz.
Base Layer top (1 each). His: 7.5 oz. Hers: 4.9 oz.
Base Layer bottom (1 each). His: 7.0 oz. Hers: 7.5 oz.
TOTAL OFF-BIKE CLOTHING WEIGHT: PedalingGuy = 5.9 lbs. PedalingGal = 4.9 lbs.
Toiletries
Bathroom bags. His: 23.9 oz. Hers 38.8 oz.
Travel towel (1 each). His: 2.1 oz. Hers: 4.0 oz.
TP, tissues, cleaning wipes and mini-shovel. 26.0 oz.
Sun block. 13.1 oz.
TOTAL TOILETRIES WEIGHT: PedalingGuy = 1.9 lbs. PedalingGal = 5.0 lbs.
Sleeping Gear
The big changes here are the tent and sleeping pads.
To the best of our knowledge, all tents are either too small or too heavy. On this trip we intend to try the enormous (by bikepacking standards) Hyperlite Mountain Gear UltaMid 4. We have nicknamed it The Taj, since it is rather large. Nonetheless, it is slightly less weight than the Big Agnes HV UL3 that we used on our trip across America and 2.5 lbs lighter than the Big Agnes HV UL4 we used in Africa.
That weight loss is partly offset by new Nemo Tensor sleeping pads, which are heavier than the lightweight (but not as comfortable) Thermarest Z-Lite pads we used in Europe and Africa. On the bright side, the new sleeping pads are much smaller in volume when packed.
Tent: Hyperlite Mountain Gear UltaMid 4 with Mesh Insert. Yes, we like our space. The dyneema fabric tent is very light for its size. And the mid-pole design is very roomy - 73.7 oz. (weight includes the mesh insert, center pole, plus all stakes, guy lines and stuff sacks)
Sleeping Bags (in waterproof stuff sacks): His: Enlightened Equipment Revelation down quilt (a 45 degree bag disguised as a 20 degree bag on EE’s website), plus Enlightened Equipment Apex synthetic bag (lightweight) - 38.7 oz. Hers: Feathered Friends Flicker 20 degrees - 27.1 oz.
Sleeping Pads: Nemo Tensor. We replaced our previous Thermarest Z-Lite Sol foam pads, which were bulky and not as comfortable - 17.8 oz each.
Travel pillow: Exped air pillow, large. A little bit of luxury in the tent - 3.1 oz each.
Camp folding chairs: Helinox Chair Zero. More luxury! Another item to improve camp comfort. These chairs were worth their weight on our trips in Europe and Africa - 18.0 oz each (funny how these chairs always seem to advertised as weighting one pound each).
TOTAL SLEEPING GEAR WEIGHT: PedalingGuy = 9.6 lbs. PedalingGal = 4.2 lbs.
Sunset over our Hyperlite Mountain Gear UltaMid 4 tent (a.k.a., The Taj). The “mid” design (with a single tent pole in the middle) creates a large, internal space. It also gives the tent a big footprint. Copyright © 2019-2021 Pedals and Puffins.
Toolkit
The tubeless tires and Rohloff Speedhub drove some important changes to our toolkit.
Tools:
Topeak Alien X multi-tool, an upgrade from our Alien II. It’s lighter, and has fewer tools we never use.
Leatherman (not sure which one, it is 30+ years old!)
Schrader/Presta nozzle adapter
Duct tape (small roll)
Nylon rope, small binder clips (2), rubber bands
Assorted zip-ties
Loctite (blue), crazy glue, tenacious tape
Spare Parts:
Chain master links (4 pairs)
Dry-lube and towels for cleaning chain
Rohloff Speedhub oil change kit (2)
Assorted spare bolts
Emergency spoke replacement kit, spare spokes
Dyneema fabric patch kit
Tubeless Tire Repair
Dynaplug Pill, extra Dynaplugs (8), spare valves (2), spare valve cores (4)
Stans Sealant (2, 4-oz bottles)
Lezyne Micro Floor Drive HPG tire pump, tire levers (3)
Schwalbe digital air pressure gauge
Z-Packs repair upholstery needle and thread, with additional (larger sized) upholstery needle, emergency tire boots (3)
In case tubeless sealant fails: tire tubes (2 Schwalbe Aerothans), pre-glued tube patches (12)
One 20g CO2 cartridge as emergency backup for a pump that breaks, or when pumping tires with our small pump is a bad idea (e.g., it’s cold and raining during a thunderstorm and you are pretty sure you are about to die from either lighting or hyperthermia).
TOTAL TOOLKIT WEIGHT: PedalingGuy = 2.9 lbs. PedalingGal = 1.1 lbs.
Eating and Drinking
Water bottles (2 each) 17.6 oz total
Extra water storage: Platypus 2L collapsible bottles (6 each). Essential for expected, multi-day stretches without water access in deserts. Running out of water is not only not fun, but you can die. We have enough of these to make us feel as maneuverable as a small fire truck (when they’re full) - 16.0 oz total
Water filter (coarse filter): FitsAll by SteriPEN. For filtering out larger particles - 2.9 oz.
Water filter (fine filter): Katadyn BeFree 1L (2). 4.6 oz total
Chlorine water purification: Aquatabs (800 tablets) - For particularly suspect water or when the filter gets clogged - 4.3 oz.
Cooking Set. MSR 2.5 L ceramic pot (with home-made pot cozy), Soto WindMaster canister stove, matches, MSR universal canister stand, Sea-to-Summit collapsible X-bowls (2) and X-cups (2), Humangear GoBites spoon and fork (2), Opinel knife, cutting board, pot-scrubbing brush, sponge - 32.7 oz.
Fuel: 8 oz IsoPro canister (2). We decided to go with a canister stove for convenience. When traveling abroad, we had a multi-fuel MSR WhisperLite International stove. But canisters should be easier to come by in the states, and they’re a lot easier to use - 6.2 oz.
Ursack bear-proof sacks with Opsak odor-proof inserts (2). We’ll be traveling extensively through bear country, so this is a sensible addition to our kit. Some public lands require use of bear-proof food containers - 14.0 oz.
Electrolyte tablets: S-Caps (bottle of 86). 4.8 oz.
All other food: estimated at 10 lbs (place holder since this varies widely)
TOTAL EATING AND DRINKING WEIGHT: PedalingGuy = 11.7 lbs. PedalingGal = 5.8 lbs.
Couscous for dinner. Pictured (left to right): Sea-to-Summit X-bowls with Humangear spoon/forks, Platypus 2L water bottle (in back), Soto Windmaster Canister Stove (with canister on the MSR universal canister stand), MSR 2.5L ceramic pot. Copyright © 2019-2021 Pedals and Puffins.
Accessories & Miscellaneous
Here’s the list of everything else we’re bringing, with items grouped to (hopefully) make the list seem somewhat logical.
First Aid Kit in waterproof stuff sack. Includes: assorted bandages, bandage tape, butterfly closures, sterile pads, moleskin, blister cushions, alcohol pads, antibiotic ointment, “after bite” (for insect bites), Benadryl, tweezers, sterile sponges, safety pins, razor blade, waterproof matches, and space blanket - 16.1 oz.
Sewing Kit (1). Includes assorted thread (incl. upholstery thread for heavy-duty repairs), regular and large needles, and a few straight and safety pins - 1.6 oz.
Cables and Locks: OttoLock Hexband (1), 98” braided steel cable (1), mini luggage locks (2) - 18.2 oz.
Bike Lights: Magnus Gear Vision II headlights (2), Cygolite Hotshot 50 rear lights (2) - 19.6 oz total
Personal Locator Beacon: Ocean Signal rescueMe PLB1 (in padded case). This is a new item for us. It seemed like a good idea, since we’ll often (usually?) be outside of cell phone coverage areas - 4.9 oz
Phones, camera, tripod, batteries, power packs, electronics, etc. So that we can post to this blog - 169.8 oz.
Cords, adapters, etc. - 43.9 oz.
Camp lights. Head lamps (2), Luci Lux Pro inflatable solar lantern (1) - 9.8 oz.
Face masks. Primal Wear 3.0 washable masks (2) with replacement filters (10) - 5.0 oz.
Eye glasses. Sunglasses in case (2), reading glasses (1) - 5.4 oz.
Head nets (2). To make camping more bearable when there are bugs - 1.2 oz.
0.25” Foam Mat (2). Multi-use, for extra insulation under sleeping pads and as a sitting/yoga mat during down time - 6.4 oz.
Drain cover. For hand-washing things in the sink - 2.7 oz.
Counter Assault bear spray (2). 30.0 oz.
Compact binoculars. 12.7 oz.
Wallet, keys, etc. 14.6 oz.
Contact cards. 5.3 oz.
Note paper, pen and pencil. 1.8 oz.
TOTAL ACCESSORIES WEIGHT: PedalingGuy = 4.8 lbs. PedalingGal = 5.8 lbs.
And the Grand Total Is…
PedalingGuy:
Weight with bike: 101 lbs
Weight without bike: 62.5 lbs (includes 10 lbs food as placeholder)
Decrease of appx 14 lbs from our last trip
PedalingGal:
Weight with bike: 83 lbs
Weight without bike: 45.6 lbs
Decrease of appx 11.5 lbs from our last trip
In the end, we can’t claim to be traveling ultra-light. But we’ve lowered our weight from our bicycle touring trips through Europe and Africa, while still allowing ourselves a few luxuries. For us, this is a worldwide, 3-seasons kit. It allows us to travel for months, anywhere from cold mountains to hot deserts, both of which we may encounter on this trip. Perhaps we’ll end up paring down our kit even more once we’re on the road. It’s happened before.
