Essential bikepacking gear: Conor Dunne's tips to start your cycling adventures

Bikepacking is an area of cycling that continues to enjoy year-on-year growth with more riders seeking the freedom and adventure that it offers.

The concept closely follows that of backpacking but with a bike added into the mix. It sees riders heading off for a multi-day adventure with everything they need either strapped to the bike or carried on the back.

Bikepacking is often seen as the antidote to performance cycling with the focus being on the adventure and enjoyment of the ride rather than setting any PBs or holding a specific power or speed. With all the added complexity of carrying some necessary gear, it can be hard to know what you should take and what you should leave behind. Luckily GCN’s own bikepacking aficionado Conor Dunne has shared his tips on what you need to get started.

Read more: Beginners' guide to bikepacking

What is the best bike for bike packing?

There is no right or wrong bike when it comes to bikepacking. Any bike will do the job, however it is worth thinking about what sort of terrain you want to ride on and matching your bike to that. As a general rule, if you are looking for a bike with bikepacking in mind, comfort is going to be one of the top priorities. This doesn’t necessarily rule out the latest generation of aero road bikes but ideally, you would want a bike you are comfortable on for multiple hours at a time.

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You do not need a certain bike to go bikepacking, although one with mounting points for luggage and a comfortable riding position will make things easier

Disc brakes

A bike with disc brakes is going to offer more stopping power than a rim brake-equipped model which will come in handy when the bike is fully loaded with all of the equipment you need for your adventure.

Easy gearing

Bikepacking is not about going as fast as you possibly can, it is about enjoying the journey and the time on your bike. With everything mounted to your bike, it is going to be a few kilos heavier than you are used to and with this in mind, climbing is going to be a harder task. To compensate for this a bike with a wide spread of gears would be ideal and allow you to spin your legs even on those steep, testing gradients.

Read more: Luxury winter bikepacking with the Tern Orox e-cargo bike

Mounting points

The latest wave of gravel and all-road bikes have more mounting points than ever and finding a bike with plenty of them is no bad thing. Versatility is the ultimate aim of a bikepacking bike and having plenty of options when it comes to fitting your storage to the bike will give you complete freedom of where to put everything.

Wide tyres

No matter what type of cycling you enjoy, there is no escaping the wide tyre revolution. Wider tyres have a whole load of benefits including better grip on loose surfaces as well as increased comfort. Fitting the widest tyres your frame can accept is a great way to optimise your bike for bikepacking.

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Wide and grippy tyres are a better choice than a super fast road tyre when it comes to bikepacking

Bicycle bags and on the bike storage

The best place to start is by selecting the bags you’re going to use and ensuring that they’ll fit your bike in a way that still makes riding enjoyable. The recent bikepacking boom means there’s more choice than ever when it comes to dedicated bags but here are some of the more common options on the market. Having a selection of different types for different areas on your bike can give you all the space you need to carry the necessary equipment. Don’t forget, though, that the name of the game is trying to keep things as light as possible in order to keep your bike moving easily and maximising enjoyment.

Saddle bags

Saddle bags fit neatly behind your saddle and comes in plenty of different sizes, the optimal size being about the 15-litre mark. This will allow you to fit plenty of kit in without the need to squash it all down too much. Saddle bags are nice and easy to fit and should be mountable to almost all bikes, with a velcro strap going around your seatpost and another around your saddle rails. Some saddle bags are waterproof which can prove important and ideally, look for ones with compression straps to help condense things down. A saddle bag is the perfect place to store clothes for your trip.

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Saddle bags can be a great solution for carrying items on your bike, although they are susceptible to swaying

One potential drawback is their tendency to swing around, especially when riding out of the saddle. This can affect your confidence on the bike, especially if you’re using a particularly heavy bag. You can however buy an item called a wishbone which when installed can help limit the swing of your saddle bag thanks to two metal prongs.

Bar bags

Bar bags mount straight to the handlebars of your bike and offer another high-volume storage solution for bulky items like cookware or even a small sleeping bag. Using one in conjunction with a saddle bag will balance out the added loads on the bike. This should have the benefit of retaining the bike's intended ride characteristics.

Read more: How to carry accessories and spare kit on a bike ride

As useful as bar bags can be, it is important to make sure that they fit your bike. Narrow bars or slammed stems don’t present much room for the bags to sit in. If in doubt take your bike to a stockist and test the bag against your bars before you commit to the purchase.

Frame bags

These mount to the top tube and downtube of your frame. They sit in the front triangle and are great for packable items that have a narrow footprint. There are different shapes and sizes on the market with some still allowing for full use of the bottle cage.

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Frame bags are a great place to store heavier items to keep the weight central on the bike

As large as the surface area of a frame bag may be, it cannot exceed the width of the frame without causing interference with your pedalling. A frame bag would be the last storage solution to use if the other bags do not offer enough space.

When loading the bags up it is worthwhile spending some time thinking about the distribution of the weight. Putting the heavy items lower down and more central on the bike will help keep the centre of gravity nice and balanced.

Panniers

Old school panniers have a real place in bikepacking, coming into their own when the route gets long and a lot of kit is needed. Luckily for us, long gone are the days of needing specialist mounting points for pannier racks, with new solutions taking advantage of thru-axles to mount the load-bearing structure of the rack.

Panniers offer the largest footprint storage you can have on a bike, this makes them the perfect companion for extended trips of multiple weeks or months.

Trailers

If you are looking to carry a lot of stuff and want the ability to easily convert your bike back to a regular-looking bike that isn’t covered in bags then a trailer can be a great solution. Often these are easy to pick up secondhand and give you a lot of carrying capacity. Using a trailer also gives you easy access to everything you need and reduces the need to buy specialist lightweight and minimal gear that would fit into bike storage.

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Trailers have their limits but do present an easy way to carry a lot of luggage or bulky items

Trailers aren’t without their downsides and are most certainly best used on paved routes as they can quickly come unstuck when the going gets rough. A trailer also limits the manoeuvrability of the bike somewhat and it also adds another wheel or two that are susceptible to punctures.

Spares and repairs for long rides

Taking some level of tools is essential to ensure that you can keep your bike running smoothly throughout the adventure. Having a separate storage bag for your tools will ensure that they do not contaminate the rest of your kit with dirt and grime and make it easier to locate them.

What you take is down to the needs of your bike to a large part. Carrying spares specific to your bike will save time hunting them down when out on the road. As a good rule, carrying spare brake pads, gear cable, inner tubes, tubeless sealant, a spare tyre in some cases and some zip ties will cover most eventualities.

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Bringing enough tools to get yourself out of any sticky situation is worth the extra weight

As far as tools are concerned, a good multitool is vital. So too is making sure you know what tools it has and that they work with your bike. Some bikes use torx bolts more frequently and not all multitools accommodate this. A hand pump and CO2 inflator, pliers, puncture repair kit, tyre levers and spare chain links will get you by, without being too bulky.

If you are riding in a group, sharing the tools out between you, is a great way of spreading out the weight and making it a little bit easier for everyone.

What's the best way to navigate on a bikepacking trip?

One of the joys of bike packing is that you will be taken to new places on fresh roads and trails. What this does mean is navigation is going to be a crucial component of a successful trip. Spending time working out a route will ensure that you don’t end up on dead-end lanes or end up on the wrong side of a river with no crossings in sight.

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Using a head unit with a planned route can take some of the stress out of navigating on unknown roads and trails

Once you have your route planned it is important to have some way of keeping track of where you are. Although a paper map can be a great low-cost option, navigating with one can be incredibly time-consuming and can disrupt the flow of the ride. If possible using a GPS head unit with a mapping feature will allow you to follow the route in real-time.

Food and fuel for endurance rides

Bikepacking is essentially a picnic on wheels! You’ll need to eat regularly throughout the day to keep on top of your energy levels. Riding for hour after hour and day after day can quickly deplete your energy reserves so carrying enough food with you to see you through to any planned stops at cafés, shops or pubs is essential.

Read more: The best emergency snacks to keep you cycling

As much as cyclists love energy gels, these are not something you will want to consume all day and solid food should be prioritised as this will sit better in your stomach. Keeping a stash of energy gels or bars on hand will ensure you never get caught out but for a multi-day ride we don’t suggest relying on these.

Essential clothing for multi-day rides

Broadly speaking, clothing is something of a personal consideration, how much you take and what you take will depend massively on where you are riding and how long you are riding for. With this being said, there are a few items that we would take with us no matter where we were heading.

Insulated jacket

The good old puffer jacket is a great bit of clothing to take with you on any journey, and the beauty of them is that they pack down so small. Having an insulating layer to wear around your chosen camping spot when the temperature begins to drop, or whilst at the roadside having a snack or fixing a mechanical issue will keep you nice and warm.

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A good insulated jacket and a waterproof layer are always worthwhile additions to a bike packers kit

Rain jacket

A good lightweight rain jacket is a piece of clothing that we wouldn’t be without. Keeping yourself and your clothes dry is even more important when you are riding across multiple days and having a dependable jacket to put on in the event of a downpour will keep you warm and dry. Choosing one that has reflective panels or is made out of a high-vis material will also allow you to ride into dusk with some added visibility aids.

What camping equipment do you need for bikepacking?

Recovery is just as important as the ride and the best way to ensure that you are ready for the day ahead is to get a good night's sleep. We’d advise investing in some decent sleeping kit as there is nothing worse than a sleepless night halfway through an epic ride.

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How to camp on a bikepacking trip is a whole topic on its own but either going nice and light or staying in hostels or bed and breakfasts is the easiest way to get started

Sleeping bags

There are two main choices when it comes to selecting a sleeping bag, either a synthetic or down-filled bag. A synthetic sleeping bag is cheaper than a down alternative but will also be a little bulkier, meaning some strategic storage may be needed.

Sleeping bags are also temperature-rated. It is important to match the sleeping bag to the intended conditions you are going to use it in and if you're not 100% sure, always assume it's going to be a little bit cooler. It is far easier to unzip a sleeping bag and cool off than it is to get warm if you don't have enough insulation.

Sleeping mat

Sleeping mats are a vital part of any good sleeping kit, they act as a thermal barrier between you and the floor. It is said that a layer of insulation below is worth two on top and getting a good self-inflating mattress will not only keep you warm but will add a level of comfort to your sleeping arrangement.

Sleeping mats will come with a quoted R-value, which is similar to a sleeping bag's temperature rating. Making sure that these two values line up will ensure that you are fully insulated for a perfect night's sleep.

What's the best camping set-up for bike packing?

A basic camping set-up not only has the benefit of being the cheapest way to set up some shelter during your bikepacking adventure but it is also a great way to condense the size of the kit you need to bring with you. It might not work for everyone and in more inclement weather or if you are susceptible to the cold you might want something a bit more substantial.

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Camping gear can take up a lot of space so finding a lightweight solution that works for you is essential

The basic option we’d recommend is a simple bivvy bag and camping tarp. Setting the tarp up between some trees will shelter you from any rain and wind that might upset the camp as well as allow some airflow for those warmer nights. To protect yourself on the ground a breathable waterproof bivvy bag is all you need to put your sleeping bag and mat in to create a watertight camping setup.

If you are a seasoned bikepacker and think something is missing from this run-down of what you need to get started, make sure to let us know in the comments below! For more on bikepacking and adventure riding make sure to head over to the lifestyle section of the GCN website.

Conor Dunne

GCN Presenter

Readdressing the power balance of the GCN crew

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