{"id":8647,"date":"2016-12-23T08:48:35","date_gmt":"2016-12-23T16:48:35","guid":{"rendered":"\/\/livetoplaysports.com\/news-press\/?p=8647"},"modified":"2016-12-23T08:48:35","modified_gmt":"2016-12-23T16:48:35","slug":"what-to-take-on-a-bikepacking-trip","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/livetoplaysports.com\/news-press\/2016\/12\/what-to-take-on-a-bikepacking-trip\/","title":{"rendered":"Bikepacking: The Basics to Get You Started on Your Next Adventure."},"content":{"rendered":"

Planning Next Year’s Adventures? Why not Bikepacking?<\/h2>\n

Every winter\u00a0around this time, the itch for adventure starts.\u00a0The days have gotten really short. The trails are muddy or buried in snow. Motivation to ride is high, but the wherewithal to do so is harder to find. This is the time of year when we start dreaming about the adventures we’re going to take over the next year.<\/p>\n

If\u00a0you’re thinking about trying something new this year, why not consider bikepacking? Whether you’re a seasoned veteran mountain biker, or a first timer to the trails, there’s a route out there for you. Bikepacking presents a new way to explore, whether it be the trails in your own backyard, or an adventure farther afield.<\/p>\n

So what is Bikepacking?<\/p>\n

“Bikepacking is the synthesis of mountain biking and minimalist camping; it evokes the freedom of multi-day backcountry hiking, with the range and thrill of riding a mountain bike.” -bikepacking.com<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Bikepacking involves loading up lightweight camping gear onto a mountain<\/a> or adventure bike <\/a>and setting off on an overnight or multi-day trip through the wilderness. It allows for more time to be taken on familiar trails, for new areas\u00a0to be explored\u00a0on routes inaccessible to most vehicles, and provides an extra level of adventure to an already engaging off-road\u00a0bike ride. With the huge amount of green space, and unprecedented access to wilderness that most of us enjoy, Bikepacking presents a whole new way to make the most of our freedom in the great outdoors.<\/p>\n

Our friends at WTB<\/a> are a group of avid adventurers, and many of their products work exceptionally well for Bikepacking adventures. WTB\u00a0provide all the products needed for you to get out on an overnight bikepacking trip. Between the Trail Boss 3.0<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Ranger 2.8\/3.0<\/a>, they\u00a0make the perfect bikepacking tire, with many sizes even available with TCS Tough casings for those trips when you decide to REALLY get out there. The Volt<\/a>, Pure<\/a> and Rocket<\/a>\u00a0promise a happy bum throughout long days in the saddle, and\u00a0PadLoc grips<\/a>\u00a0prevent a pinched ulnar nerve from causing numb hands\u00a0when the day’s riding ends up being a few hours longer than planned.\u00a0WTB recently published a blog preparing riders for their first Bikepacking trip, which we’ve\u00a0summarized here!\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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PACKING FOR YOUR FIRST BIKEPACKING TRIP<\/a><\/h2>\n
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Bikepacking has gained\u00a0incredible momentum over the last few years, and for good reason. Riders are gaining an incessant drive to travel further, to more remote locations, one pedal rotation at a time. Each of us love the quick one-hour rides that fill the available time slots in our lives, but there\u2019s something about truly getting away from everything with only a few buddies, and our bikes, that appeals to the adventurous side of many riders.<\/p>\n

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Photo credit: Abner Kingman<\/p><\/div>\n

That being said, we can\u2019t simply hop on our bikes, hope for the best and expect to return home safely for Sunday dinner. The pedaling aspect of bikepacking is often the easiest part of endeavor. There\u2019s a considerable amount of research, planning and preparation that goes into a successful bikepacking trip. While such trips can evolve into weeks, or even months for the dedicated explorer, we\u2019ll begin by covering the needs of an overnight trip.<\/h6>\n

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Minimizing Gear Weight<\/strong><\/p>\n

You don\u2019t have to be a weight weenie to use ultralight gear while bikepacking. The idea behind bikepacking revolves around experiencing overnight adventures on a mountain bike while still having the ability to shred trails during the day\u2019s ride. It\u2019s important to keep the gear weight to a minimum in order to preserve every bit of bike nimbleness possible. While companies have done a great job of creating solutions to storing gear on a bicycle frame without racks, it\u2019s still weight on the bike that isn\u2019t typically in those areas. Additional gear weight creates a riding experience that differs from how your daily trail bike feels, and it can take some time to get used to it. It’s important to note that how you pack is all based upon preference. For instance, while the handlebar bag<\/a> is a very efficient way to carry when the majority of the route is on dirt roads, it is certainly the piece of bikepacking gear that makes the bike lose it’s nimbleness the quickest. Therefore, many folks prefer using a 15-25 liter backpack <\/a>on shorter trips to keep the front end of the bike light and snappy. It\u2019s in your best interest to load your bike up with gear and test it out on a familiar loop before embarking into the unknown. While each person will have their personal preferences and available resources, the following are great ways to keep gear down to a minimal weight.<\/p>\n

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Photo credit: Abner Kingman<\/p><\/div>\n