This feature was produced in association with Cycle Surgery.
So, what exactly is bikepacking?
Quite simply, bikepacking is backpacking but with a bike rather than a pair of hiking boots.
Because you’re on two wheels rather than two feet, you can go further and – with the right bike – you can get off the road and onto gravel paths, bridleways and dirt tracks and really explore the countryside.
You can go on your own, but it’s also ideal with mates, couples or even families.
Sounds like you need to be quite a hardcore rider
Not at all. In recent years, the advent of lighter built-for-purpose bikes and gear mean bikepacking has become much more accessible.
Also it depends where and how far you ride. Riders can – and do – cycle 150km a day, but you could ride less than a third of that.
If you plan your routes to suit your abilities, you’ll end up enjoying a fun trek, not grinding away on a never-ending slog.
There’s even something called the S240 if you just want a quick blast of the outdoors life.
S240? Sounds like a robot from the Star Wars franchise…
It actually stands for sub-24-hours overnight, which typically involves riding to a campsite not too far from home, camping, then riding home the next morning. A mini adventure to make sure you get the most from your weekend.
Aren’t there lots of different types of bikepacking?
Well, there are different types of touring if that’s what you mean.
At one end of the scale, you get fully supported tours, which involve cycling a pre-arranged route, usually with a guide and certainly an accompanying vehicle bringing your luggage to the next overnight stop.
The scaled-down version of this is called lightweight touring – or credit-card touring – when you take a minimum of kit, buy what you need on the way round and stay overnight in B&Bs or hostels.
Then there’s fully loaded touring, or self-supported bikepacking, which is when you carry everything you need, including food, spare clothes and a sleeping bag.
This gets called expedition touring if your route happens to take you through remote areas or developing countries.
Finally, there’s mixed-terrain bikepacking – aka rough riding – which combines self-sufficiency on the bike with a go-anywhere attitude that’ll lead you to bits of the map where you’re unlikely to run into anyone you know. Or indeed anyone at all!
Does it matter what bike I use?
Just about any bike can be fitted with racks and or storage bags, but the type of bike you use can end up limiting where your travels take you.
A road bike, for example, isn’t going to serve you too well if you want to go off the beaten track.
Mountain bikes are a better option, but can, of course, be quite heavy, so an even better option is a purpose-built touring bike, which will be lighter but also designed to be comfortable over long distances and on all types of road.
What should I take with me?
It depends on how self-sufficient you want to be, but if you’re planning on sleeping out overnight, you should pack everything you’d need for a regular backpacking camping trip, plus extras for your bike – such as spare parts, tools and tubes.
However, you want to avoid carrying that weight on your back if possible, instead distributing as much clothing and equipment as you can around the bike itself using any number of purpose-built bike bags.
Am I going to have to fork out for any specialist equipment?
Well, that depends on what kit you already own, and what kind of riding you’re interested in doing. Obviously the more epic your planned adventure the more gear you’re going to need.
Where can I go?
If you’ve got the right bike and the right gear then literally anywhere. That’s the beauty of it, it’s entirely up to you – it’s your adventure.
There are plenty of great bikepacking destinations in Britain, as well as some spectacular easy-to-reach locations abroad.
If you’re not sure what type of bikepacking or touring would suit you, ask yourself the following: Where would you like to go? How many miles do you want to cycle in a day? How much gear are you prepared to carry? How long do you want to go for? How far do you want to cycle in total? How much are you prepared to spend?
Scribble down your answers to these questions on a bit of paper and then use them to start planning your next great escape…
