Extreme discipline of cycle tourism, bikepacking induces strict codes on equipment. We explain to you how to choose your bike and prepare your bikepacking itinerary to swallow the kilometers with complete peace of mind.
What is bikepacking?
Bikepacking is a portmanteau word from English. It takes up the concept of backpackingthe practice of going on an adventure with your backpack (backpack), this time adding the bike (bicycle).
Bikepacking is therefore a bicycle trip with bags only. Because the purists are clear: there is no question here of including luggage racks or pannier racks. It all comes down to riding with parts attached to the structure of the bike, period.
What is the difference between bikepacking and cycle touring?
Bikepacking is more synonymous with adventure, while cycle tourism is broader in its practice. Cycling is a generic term that includes long journeys by bike to travel, discover places and monuments, while bikepacking is a more sporty version centered on cycling activity with its codes.
In bikepacking, there is no additional equipment or hotel: you have to do with the minimum required, in the face of cycle tourism which wants more comfort. Bikepacking rhymes with light equipment, it also corresponds to a long weekend trip or a day like hiking, and not necessarily a week-long expedition.
How to properly prepare your bikepacking?
Before leaving, a little stretching and warming up is a good reflex to adopt, but also do a little checkup of your bike: good road holding, tire pressure, brake bite, chain lubrication, derailleur check , functional lighting, etc.
Also remember that your bike is not invincible. You may encounter punctures on your route: patches are always welcome, if not a spare inner tube.
A small tool kit is also a must have in bikepacking, to repair or adjust certain components of your bike, as well as a pump to inflate your tires. On long journeys, it is advisable to bring some replacement items such as a pair of pedals.
If your bike is weather and road proof, it may not be safe for thieves: prepare locks. You also have to find the right balance between robustness and weight, because bikepacking is based on the idea of traveling relatively light.
What equipment for bikepacking?
To take what you need for bikepacking, you must therefore limit yourself to the panniers attached to the bike (it’s the god of bikepacking who says so, we comply with it!). There are four main types:
- Hanger bag : it attaches to the front overhang, via a metal structure or with velcro, with the width of the handlebar as a limit. It can be low if you have a road handlebar. It is convenient to quickly access certain things, such as your phone, a cereal bar, or your important things such as your wallet;
- Frame bag : between the tubes of your frame, the empty space is just waiting to be occupied! The pannier is either suspended or placed above the upper tube, or fixed to the lower tube or even integral (several fixings). Be careful, if it accepts heavy objects, it should not be too wide so as not to interfere with your legs when pedalling;
- saddle bag : fixed at the level of the seat post or even on the saddle rails in addition, it can be long and offer a large volume, the best being a metal structure, with heavy objects placed forwards thus guaranteeing a good balance;
- Fork bag : the two arms of the fork also serve as attachments for two storage spaces, but be careful not to be too heavy, as this may penalize the handling of your bike. Finally, please respect a minimum of balance between the two right and left panniers.
You can use the entire structure of the bike as a support for panniers and equipment – Source: Unsplash/worldsbetweenlines
There, it’s lighter and shows the different bags and possible points for your gourds – Source: Trek
Everyone has their own parish, the luggage rack may be a plus, but beware of backpacks that quickly heat up your back – Source: Unsplash/worldsbetweenlines
That was for the bike, now let’s move on to the bikepacker’s equipment. Because you need a minimum of equipment for the weather and the conditions of the different environments you will cross.
The world of sports cycling is full of solutions: from jerseys to bib shorts in hot weather, including leg warmers, jackets against the cold, raincoats for the rain, as well as caps or goggles for the sun. And of course, icing on the hat, we don’t forget the helmet!
Which bike for bikepacking?
It all depends on the type of trip you plan to do. Know that you are not obliged to buy a bike for bikepacking. Your everyday version can be used for your excursions or your trip, without modification (but not without equipment!).
If you have a large majority of tarmac and little elevation on your route, your rigid bike is more than enough. However, it needs attachment points for the saddlebags: be careful, not all of them are designed for this. An extra suspension, or a VTC, is welcome if you are tackling off-road.
If your profile is rather sporty, a road bike will be your ideal version for pure asphalt, to spin at high speed and swallow more kilometers. If gravel and paths are on the program, the gravel, a versatile derivative of the road bike, is more suitable with its specific tires.
It is even the bike of choice for bikepacking enthusiasts. These two types of bike are often designed with a low handlebar, favoring a more efficient sporty active position. If you prefer a more relaxed ride or with a more comfortable position, aim for a bike with a high handlebar.
The mountain bike with big tires and suspension for mostly rough terrain -Source: Unsplash/cubeofwood
The VTC for short comfort journeys – Source: Unsplash/suzanne_ella
The road bike to trace the asphalt – Source: Unsplash/fromaugusto
The versatile gravel road/path – Source: Unsplash/greg_rosenke
As endurance is an essential criterion, do not go with a budget or too low-end bike, not designed for intensive use. However, there are wide ranges, ranging from generalist Decathlon or Intersport to specialists Canyon or Specialized. We will not mention all the brands, there are so many of them. But here you have some basic references.
If the terrain is rough or mountainous, a mountain bike with front suspension is better at absorbing shocks, and less tiring in the long run. These bikes are also fitted with better tyres, which are more adherent and resistant in off-road conditions.
The electric bike in bikepacking, how to recharge?
Note that all the categories of bikes mentioned have electric equivalents. Electric assistance is a relief for the less sporty or the elderly, especially on steeply sloping routes, or for those who simply wish to increase their range of action without getting tired.
A VAE is therefore also a comfort solution, to avoid too much effort, especially in the event of high daily mileage. Precisely on long routes, a cargo bike of the two-carrier type is also an interesting solution given its good loading capacity.
Moreover, the German journalist and bicycle expert Gunnar Fehlau is currently traveling through Europe as part of the Workpacking Tour 2023, precisely on the handlebars of a cargo bike. Proof that this type of vehicle is suitable for this practice.
What about charging? You should know that two types of batteries exist: non-removable or removable. In the first version, you have to connect the cable directly to the bike, which must therefore be located next to a socket. It’s not necessarily the most practical.
The second battery solution is more flexible, because you can take the battery to be recharged with either a restaurant, a campsite or a generous host. And as it takes several hours to recharge, therefore prefer a second booster battery to cover more kilometers or if your breaks are short. There are even some in water bottle format to attach to your electric bike.
Bike routes for bikepacking
For ideas of bikepacking trips, many websites provide itineraries planned for. You can consult the sites of enthusiasts, having themselves carried out the routes, sometimes with supporting reports, so as not to go blind. We can mention En Roue Libre, or Les Others which also offers a set of hiking maps, perfect if you want to detox your smartphone.
Specialized cycling sites also have their pages or ideas for bikepacking trips. That of the French Cycle Tourism Federation “Vélo en France” is very comprehensive on the subject! You can also familiarize yourself with the network of cycle routes thanks to Vélo & Territoires.
Finally, more classic, the tourist sites of cities, departments or regions are an undeniable source of potential routes to combine adventure and tourism. Among them, that of La Seine à Vélo is even specific to cycling, very detailed.
Don’t forget that there are journeys of all durations. There are those that last for a day, or those suitable for a weekend, a few days, or even epics lasting several weeks. Aim above all right on the distances and the difficulty of the course, so as not to block halfway. And don’t necessarily go alone, it’s better with friends to motivate yourself in case of a slump!
Cycling events are also an opportunity to practice bikepacking, which sites list, such as Nafix for example. The most adept and sporty will go to Bikepacking.com with special competitions in Europe, at the crossroads of ultra-cycling, to challenge themselves.
Where and how to sleep while bikepacking?
If you take part in bikepacking on long routes, you will obviously have to find something to sleep or find accommodation. So much the better if friends or acquaintances are on the way, but the tent with sleeping bag, and its derivatives, are easy options to be flexible, provided that it fits in your storage spaces. There are four main ones:
- The classic tent, with maximum protection but bulky;
- The tarp, a compact but basic canvas;
- The (on) simple sleeping bag, not very protective but installable everywhere;
- The ideal hammock in the forest and off-road.
To pitch your tent, the bivouac is the best solution, but it is not possible everywhere. So try to identify compatible places in advance, if not a campsite.
Don’t forget to book, some popular places may be full before your arrival. If the tent solution is not possible, there are still hotels, hostels or B&Bs. A sacrilege for purists, but hey, everyone has their religion and their way of practicing bikepacking.
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