Bikepacking 101

When moving the first steps into bikepacking is natural to have so many questions: how to get started, do I really need to invest hundreds and hundreds of cash to buy new kit? which bags do I need?! what do I need to carry?
When doing some research it is easy to get overwhelmed by the amount of articles and different opinions on the internet.

In this blog, you will find some articles about bikepacking and gear. While they are written with the Tor Divide route(s) in mind, the recommendations are still valid and worth considering when starting out.

Bike

If you are planning your own trip, just use the bike that you have! It’s the best and most economic way to try bikepacking and you can learn from the experience before investing in a different system.

If you are planning to bikepack off-road, and perhaps to join us for Tor Divide then we would recommend either a gravel bike with a relaxed geometry, big tyres (45mm+) and MTB gearing, or a lightweight MTB with a short travel suspension fork. We recommend thinking about comfort over speed and weight saving if making any upgrade to the bike.

Gear

The bags you require will depend on the volume of gear carried. The best thing is to use what you have or can borrow from friends.
If starting from scratch we recommend adding bags - or strapping stuff to your bike - in this order:

• top tube bag

• frame bag

• saddle bag/pannier

• fork bags

• handlebar bag

• backpack

It’s worth mentioning that with most bags there’s a risk of rubbing the frame and wearing the paintwork of your bike. Some people like battle-scars others don’t! If you are in the latter camp, it’s a good idea to protect your bike frame and fork with some electrical tape at the contact points with the bags.

If you are planning to join us for Tor Divide, Peak Gravel Overnighter or other events, these are some of our recommendations:

Essential cycling kit:

• Helmet

• Rear & front light

• GPS unit

• Back-up navigation tool (phone, watch, map)

• Waterproof jacket

• Insulated jacket

• Spare rear mech hanger

• Multi-tool

• Pump

• Ability to carry 1.5L of water

• Ability to carry food/snacks for the ride

Recommended kit:

• Headlight if planning to cycle at night (also useful around camp)

• Tubeless tyres

• Emergency blanket/bivvy

• Repair kit

• Medical kit

• Warm baselayer

• Arm and leg warmers

• Gilet

• Neck buff

• Shoes/sandals to use around camp

• Spare clothes (depending on duration of the trip)

Recommended repair kit:

• Multi-tool

• Pump

• Tyre levers

• Rear mech hanger

• Tape

• Inner tube(s)

• Valve core

• Presta adapter

• Elastic straps

• Spare bolts

• Tyre/inner tube patches and glue

• Spare brake pads

NOTE: these are items recommended for a minimal kit, to be used when relatively close to civilisation. Longer trips, especially in remote areas, may require more kit as well as the knowledge to use it.

Before the event/trip

1. Check that your bike is clean and in good working conditions (e.g. brake pads, chain, tyre pressure).
   Replace pads if unsure and get the tyres at the right pressure, also considering the added weight of your kit.
   If unsure, take your bike to the local bike shop a couple of weeks before the big ride but remember to book early especially if it’s summer!
   Getting the bike checked a couple of weeks in advance gives you/the bike shop a chance to find spares if needed and to ride the bike after the service.

2. Go and ride with your bags and kit on. You don’t need to ride for a full day but make sure to go out for a couple of hours, and over terrain similar to the one you’ll be riding on during the event: there’s no point testing the bike on tarmac if you’ll be riding singletrack. Some bags can get loose over time, or shake significantly when riding offroad.
   This ride will get you used to the additional weight and will give you the opportunity to iron out any issues such as bags clashing with cables or shifters, rubbing on your legs/tyres/frame, or finding out that you don’t have enough space for your tent/bivvy/mat etc.
   If you plan to use a backpack is also worth checking how the weight feels and making sure the fit is correct to avoid rubbing on your neck and shoulders.

3. Make the required adjustments following the test ride.

Online resources

The guys at Bikepacking.com have put together a brilliant step-by-step guide on how to get into bikepacking: Bikepacking 101

We recommend anyone curious about the Tor Divide event(s) and bikepacking in general to go through their guidance before even looking at articles like “The 5 best <enter product of your choice>” buying something that might not be for you.
There are many low cost ways to get into bikepacking, often only requiring reusing or repurposing something one might own already.