Dont overplan is my top one tip. It is suppose to be a pleasure to bikepacking. If you overplan, you will be frustrated because world dont care for what you've planned

Another awesome video, folks! Start out easy, and try a sub 24 hour ride (S24O); leave in the afternoon, ride a couple hours, then stop for the night. Come home the next morning. You can choose how much to carry, decide to cook or not cook, etc. 😁 If your'e a hiker or camper, use some of the kit you already have. The most important thing is to have fun! 🖖😄🇺🇸🇯🇵

Use an actual backpack, If the bag creates fatigue, maybe go fishing. 🙇

SOL brand bivys are light, cheap, waterproof & pack down to fit in a water bottle cage.

Stay away from coffee / caffeine / sweeteners. These are "diuretics". Will dramatically increase hydration requirements and make you pee way more. Remember your bike is already heavy from bikepacking gear. The last you'll want is added weight from drinks if you will be facing big climbs. Keep this in mind when bikepacking in the remote corners of the world, particularly in the more exotic places.

THIS🙌

​​@@ucanskixc568the video isn't about there bike. It's about how to adapt YOUR BIKE for bikepacking.

@@ucanskixc568 you are trolling or didn't watch, listen and or comprehend the video.

@@ucanskixc568 so you are trolling or just very insecure about money... Probably both.

Idid. It was awful

That is an impressive weight Jon! Sounds like you had a real adventure, there is no need to push the distance too far, adventure is on your door step 🙌

It's a good tip! 😂 One he used a little too often

That's what we like it hear!!! Nice work 🙌

Dream Bikepacking trip 🗺️

Sounds like a great area to explore! We hope you stick to the leave to trace rules 🙌

@@gcn ALWAYS! Take only photographs, leave only footprints (in not ecosensitive places!

That is going to be an awesome trip 🙌 Have you done any practice rides?

@@gcn thank you, I am cycling the Camino de Santiago on the 1st June fully loaded as a practice.

Good luck with the tour have fun!

Great idea! Maybe we need kick stands on our bikes 🤔

Wow that sounds like an epic trip 🙌

What?

Great video and ideas… but Bivvy without a mat = freezing cold. = never doing that again. Dry bag - yes great idea as a saddle pack provided it’s secured up the seat post and under the saddle. Tarp wrapped on seat tube - nope. Not for me: knees rub. Will be a terrible experience. Better to go with a rack, the type perhaps that bolts to the seat post, and a bar bag. Also Manons dry bag won’t be waterproof the way it’s shown.

Seriously. Who bike packs with a dedicated road bike "on a budget?"

The last thing I'd want to do is load up a 7kg road bike with luggage, it's like putting a roof rack on a Ferrari and then using it to tow a caravan, horse's for courses!

These sort of cyclists don't even use saddle bag to keep spare bits there and you talk about rack and panniers!

Panniers and racks are very awkward for tents, bivies, and some mats. They also put all the weight on the back rather than dispersing and keeping it centralized, and they are extremely annoying on single track trails. Racks are fine or bike touring, but pretty shit for bikepacking.

We love touring bikes! Did you ever catch Si's slow cycling doc 👉gcn.eu/wyev

What are your budget bike-packing top tips? 👀

@@gcn sorry for the delay. I was out of town. The four bags that I use on the bike to carry a tent and all the stuff for 20 days of travel all cost around 100 euros (Two bags on the frame, one on the steering wheel and one under the seat). The Rinowalk brand works well, it's not the most aesthetically pleasing material but it is waterproof and I would even say resistant to aggressive use (Attention the 13 liters Floating bag is not advisable) . On another trip of mine I took with me a Vector trailer and it cost me 140 euros, only the bag was not completely waterproof which was a shame, I had to invest in another waterproof bag for 20 euros more. I attached the trailer to my carbon road bike Van Rysel without disc brakes, which means I didn't pay for an adapter axle, a great saving. This year I want to take my Canyon inflite CF attached to the trailer and I had to buy a specific axle because of the disc brake, I bought the axle from the brand The Robert Axle Project and paid 80 euros. Very expensive. Conclusion it is possible to make a trip with a small budget. What is the most important is the will. I just want to point out in my first years of bike packing travels starting from 2018 me and my wife used 70s iron bikes, and we travelled over 1000km on bikes with the gear shifters still in the down tube and gear ratio in front with 52/36 and back 13/29, but it was possible. All the best and happy travels!!!

Glad you found it so helpful! Bike-packing doesn't need to be the allusive sport it is, just get out there and start an adventure 🙌

Trains and bikes are a great combo, not to mention railtrails...

This sort of touring is still super popular! Hank did his own ride that was done in a similar style? 👉 kzfaq.info/get/bejne/orB_p6Z3ys3HXWg.html

Very much so! France is a well favourited spot!

If you can get an alpkit exorail to fit with your bag then it is a game changer for little riders! I'm only 5foot (like 155cm ish) and was having a nightmare with my rear bag rubbing in my tyre, but adding the metal rail means it can take more weight now and doesn't swing about at all👍

@@StephHall95 Okay thanks for the Tip I just used an extra velcro strap on my saddlebag till now but I´ll have a look at the exorail looks pretty good

If you’re on a budget maybe you don’t have 2 bikes?

I saw that too. Wondered if it was a Heron

I packed my bike into cardboard box and that was super budget!

Don't tell the aero police 👀

Are you a cycle commuter? It's a great way to build that base fitness.

Hahaha this is a great point! 😂 Pack light and travel fast! or pack heavy and take it easy 🙌

Hard to pack tents and other camping gear in panniers, panniers are also too wide for off trail riding that you do in backpacking, and racks distribute the weight very suboptimally and are generally just heavier than needed

How do you cook your Nitto Noodle bars without pot?

Nothing with Zip ties 😬

You need a lot less stuff than you think, especially when staying in hotels, 1 change of clothes, maybe two set of cycling kit. I've done a week with just a 14ltr saddle pack and a small handle bar bag.

You'll be surprised Mark do some practice packs and give it a go 🙌 Sounds like it's going to be a amazing adventure!

Don't show Ollie 🫢

Agree man. Just bought a touring bike, best investment Ive done in a long time. Tried the bikepacking bags, it sucked.` Much more comfortable camping to have better sleeping gear with me. No problem to bring more comfortable gear with you on a touring bike, without the fear of anything breaking, like it could on my lightweight roadbike. Bigger tires is also a huge plus.

Bikepacking in the rain... wow!!!

@@gcn Not actually in Rain😅 but in rainy season on a perfect cold weather ie less than 28°C/82°F

Yeah they are a business, thats how they make money

It was a bit of a pot boiler but practical all the same

Dynamo can be a great option! Do you thin they are a must have for beginners though? On smaller trips a battery pack may be better?

@@gcn Well you can easily go without on short trips or when you have access to gridpower at night. I use the dynamo also for bike lights (for tunnels). A dynamo never runs out of power. It is a great upgrade.

It's always great having a bed for the night 😴

Soooo... you're saying nobody goes bike packing but for some reason people buy the products? Like they feel it's cool to own a bivvy bag?

@@davidf2281 I’m more so saying it’s a floundering trend that’ll soon wane. Just like overlanding with rooftop tents.

Think you're a little out of touch buddy, I would say the bikepacking population is at least as big as the bike touring population

That's what GCN is all about, selling products. To be fair to them in this video they didn't crap on about any specific items which was a surprise.

They're showing that you CAN go with what you've got... maybe N+1 bikes doesn't extend as far as we think!

Use any bike you have, who cares

So you’d have people go out and buy a touring bike? And panniers? They’re just saying you don’t need a specific bike, just get out and strap stuff to your frame, easy

Nah they are definitely different. The way you pack for camping vs. staying at accommodations is so different, and the type of bike suitable to trail vs. roads, means they are actually really different disciplines.

@@samt73 More people would have a bike suitable for touring than an exotic CF race bike. A rack and panniers would cost less than a lot of the 'bike packing' fancy gear. However the tips on this video are good and don't require a lot of money. The problem in England is that wild camping is not allowed and the weather is often a problem