Bikepacking - an alternative way of touring...

[Mugglechops]

I saw that rack a few weeks back on The Radavist. It's a bloody good idea.



I use a Viscacha everyday and normally have it pretty loaded up. I don't really find it swaying to be an issue.

I did 3 or 4kms of singletrack with it loaded like this today.



Last Sunday I had it half loaded and it was fine too.

[Aushiker]

Andrew, quick!!
https://www.ridepdw.com/goods/cargo/the-bindle-rack

https://www.ridepdw.com/blog/2016/06/pd ... indle-rack

PDW expands Cargo category with release of Bindle Rack

Thanks for the heads-up. To late for me but as have gone with a Mr Fusion v2.

[eldavo]

Just wondering if I'd look this hot on the fuglified Anyroad we get here with my body and kit...

[nezumi]

The only problem here is that if you get a new bike, you either have to get it in a matching colourway, or sell all the bags with the bike and start again!

[eldavo]

i imagine getting all the tattoes recoloured as well would be a pain...

[Aushiker]

For some reason I had overlooked the Rogue Panda option; ah well I suspect going with Porcelain Rock Mr Fusion v2 will still be a very smart move.



and for pannier lovers:



The related review post can be found at the bikepacking.net forums.

[Aushiker]

Working with the guys at Jones Bikes, to make a custom jones setup, based on how some riders are doing it....with a few tweeks my me...

- Kerry at Klite.com.au

[RonK]

Yeah, I got a mount for my eTrex 30 and a switch from Kerry last week. It was interesting to discover that he makes the plastic bracket and mounts parts himself with a 3D printer. He's a very helpful man.





I've also got one of those bar extenders - cheap as chips on eBay - to mount my Exposure Revo, backup computer and the switch.

[eldavo]

Wondering if anyone has ideas for a rear saddle bag/rack that can mount on this Thudbuster LT post and be able to hold my helmet when on the beach, or generally low-faff for anything else I want to carry to the post box. (Those 2 needs popped up on first two test rides). I used a backpack to carry the satchel to the post box, so something to carry the helmet that could also keep a backup light duty bag/backpack.

I will need to have the Fly6 relocated to rear of the solution, since it's also my tail light and don't want the camera obscured. I can't attach anything to the moving portion of the Thubuster LT, and need some clearance for that. It's got firm elastomers so isn't huge movement.

The bike is new only 2 rides in but fits me well and is possibly a contender for "if I could only have 1 bike" it's kind of blowing my mind I could ever be that person again. I've dialled in the ergonomics straight out like I'm getting experienced or something after trying 25 bikes in a handful of years

[rifraf]

I will need to have the Fly6 relocated to rear of the solution, since it's also my tail light and don't want the camera obscured. I can't attach anything to the moving portion of the Thubuster LT, and need some clearance for that. It's got firm elastomers so isn't huge movement.

Question on the Fly6 which is equally relevant to the Fly12, in that what do you do when the rechargeable battery charge life is no longer up to play.
I asked in another thread about if you could use a cache battery to provide power but was told no, the 12 wouldn't run when plugged into an external battery.
Assuming the 6 utilises its own propriety internal battery, whats the deal when it no longer holds a decent charge?
I've recently found my Macbook Air I bought I think early 2014, no longer holds much of a charge and its not simply a matter of me purchasing a plug and play battery solution.

Nice looking Trek by the way

[eldavo]

Looking after the battery now from the beginning is the first best thing you can do.
Storage at 60% charge, charging to less than 80-90%, not discharging more than 50% between charges, not discharging below 20%, are some guidelines that can extend the battery life a long time, but difficult ideals to execute long term for hundreds of cycles without programmed assistance from the device/app. By default the product wants to advertise maximum run time, users then have that expectation.

For the Fly12 after initially testing light and camera, I'm now not using the headlight, treating it as a backup headlight only. So I use my Cygolite Expilion 800 as the primary headlight, saving the drain on the Fly12.

Similarly for the Fly6, I only have short stretches of road so have maximum rear lights for them, then reduce to minimum/zero rear light on the Fly6 and use other tail light.

For the Fly6 I've seen a breakout image showing it's a pretty simple assembly and the battery looks relatively easy to replace at your own risk if it's end of life.
I haven't seen such an image for the Fly12, but once they do get along in age, buying cheap/damaged used ones to attack first for the learning experience is often how electronics technicians learn to do stuff.

So minimising battery use from new, or not, then replacing the battery yourself out of warranty, are a couple methods.

As for the value/cost perspective, going without a personal car again earlier this year (we still have a family wagon) saved me $1100 just in registration and insurance for the next year before even burning any fuel or anticipating maintenance/repair/excess on insurance claims etc. just for it to sit in the driveway. So my perspective is I can pretty much afford any cycling clothing or accessories I need and replace them annually if I just mindlessly used them to their maximum and died out of warranty.

Re: the Macbook Air, looking for replaceable batteries feature in notebooks is a good option if you're using it as a desktop replacement and near mains power most of the time. Same kind of ideals if your use allows, not charging it above 80-90%, keeping it stored when not in use at 60%, not discharging below 20%. You can keep your battery at 60% and remove it, run on mains power without the battery in the notebook.

For general non-faffing habit, charge short of maximum before an anticipated moderate use. At end of use, don't charge it up again if you think it's 50-60% range (2 beeps on Fly6 or Fly12). If you anticipate long use, charge up to maximum to get the maximum run time you want.

As for the rear saddle/rack option, I recalled a little trunk bag mounting on a seatpost rack that had a unique rack stays triangulation clamp/bolt on to seat rails. The brand was in the process of making a bikepacking line of bags, but the existing rack/bag looked like a good in-betweener. If I could remember it

PS: Reading reviews on the Rogue Panda saddle bag, a Thudbuster LT user posted a review that one was custom made for him, so I've got a couple of questions to send to Rogue Panda. Including the option for a Purple seat bag, it says Cordura, so that seems to be colour choice giving up the standard fabric spec (Dimension-Polyant Xpac VX21, I have no clue but presume it's better than run of the mill cordura).

[eldavo]

Arkel TailRider trunk bag on the Randonneur Rack (seatpost rack)
http://www.arkel-od.com/en/arkel-randonneur-rack.html



I found Arkel's rack/back above was what I was thinking of in memory, but it's no good for a Thudbuster with rigid brace to the moving saddle rails, and rack mount rigid to seatpost.

Arkel's bikepacking gear is still "coming soon"
http://www.arkel-od.com/en/bikepacking.html

This appears to be fitted with the Rollpacker 15 front and 25 rear:


The Seatpacker 15:


Presumably it slides onto this Seatpacker Rack:


Rogue Panda is on summer holiday for July, so I'll just have to wait for the reply on the custom bag for the Thudbuster LT.

[rifraf]

Thank you guys for the movie clips of the bike packing and ultra-light gear list info.

I'm reliant on trips to the library for some free wifi to see them as home has only got pre-pay wifi modem which is a little hard on my budget currently when it comes to pics and movie clip using up the megs.

Whilst admiring the frame bags I have to point out those backpacks seem to be sneaking in enough to incline me more to put off following any early adaption.

It seems a common theme of any movie clips I've been lucky enough to peruse.
I can appreciate much about the frame bags but wonder if cuban fibre panniers might achieve a close to equivalent weight loss from over all kit without the need for a backpack.

Yeah I get the improved off-road capability and perhaps speed improvement from the bike frame bags but I remember how glad I was when RonK pointed me in the direction of some Nalgene 1.5 litre bottles and I could dump my Hydro-pod (bladder backpack).

Great to see the multitude of brands coming to the fore and even the adaption of the genre from previous pannier oriented Ortlieb.
Huge leaps and bounds in the tech and ideas is a win for us all.

[RonK]

There is no backpack included in my bikepacking plans. I have a little Vega rack and would use micro panniers if I needed extra capacity for a remote region.
But I think my complement of bikepacking bags will be quite sufficient.

[eldavo]

If only I'd gone to the workshop last night instead of browsing the internet.

I'm still interested in the Rogue Panda hardtail saddle bag, he's on summer leave this month, no rush but was the first one I saw mention of a couple traits:
- vertical hugging fit
- seat stay straps for tension

So the Freeload Tour deck rack could have fitted in the rear, but I started with the front since it was already set with the front brackets from last use. I've liked it the rare times I've used it, both previous bikes were suspension forks, only a couple millimetres clearance each side with 3in tyres though. It opens up a lot of utility for strapping stuff to the front. It keeps ticking boxes as being my "one bike" (non-electric category), so I'm trying to get back to that mindset and see how it sits.

[eldavo]

Now the test, AusPost delivery card left (while I was sleeping in due to kids out early on school holidays, oops).
Large parcel ticked on the card. I'm expecting it's a new indoor trainer I asked for, Christmas in July.
I *could* get a car lift with family, or I could get the ratchet straps out and do a real front rack load test... I forget what the name of the Kiwi council rep was that said people don't use bikes in such ways. It was so memorable like a joke name, I've forgotten it. Like Dick Cowers and it went viral tagging his his last name as the new name for transport/life cycling.

A guesstimate box size from DC Rainmaker, narrow aero oriented should be doable:

[geoff_tewierik]

Now the test, AusPost delivery card left (while I was sleeping in due to kids out early on school holidays, oops).
Large parcel ticked on the card. I'm expecting it's a new indoor trainer I asked for, Christmas in July.
I *could* get a car lift with family, or I could get the ratchet straps out and do a real front rack load test... I forget what the name of the Kiwi council rep was that said people don't use bikes in such ways. It was so memorable like a joke name, I've forgotten it. Like Dick Cowers and it went viral tagging his his last name as the new name for transport/life cycling.

A guesstimate box size from DC Rainmaker, narrow aero oriented should be doable:

Dick Quax.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dick_Quax

#quaxing

[eldavo]

Thanks Geoff, I've quaxed it.

[RonK]

That is wonderful for you - but nothing to do with bikepacking...

[eldavo]

Thanks Ron, reeling in the segway, as a result of the Freeload forkleg mounted rack (they were bikepacking with MTB in NZ with these front/rear before fabric became defacto bikepacking definition)... I've now got loads of front space without fouling the bars lights and camera with handlebar bags. I can have longitudinal aero bag instead of lateral mount across the bars, and can strap anything cages to the fork legs for extra summer water.

That keeps my rear free for this one, possibly colour matched to boot if not giving up fabric quality. Very happy as the potential "one bike" boxes keep getting ticked.



The rear of the Stache with tyre so close to the seatpost may make the seat stay straps and clearance pretty tight to rest there like the sample.

[RonK]

Thanks Ron, reeling in the segway.

No problem - feel free to start a new thread when you want to go off topic an discuss your shopping trolley...

[rifraf]

Thanks Geoff, I've quaxed it.

G'day Eldavo,

have you given up on the Mukluk or simply decided on a little N+1 retail therapy?

[nezumi]

When packing stuffable/compressible items, do you favour using compression bags or packing loose in a seatbag and using that as a stuffbag itself?

I am thinking things like sleeping bags, down jackets etc. I know I can get my pillow, and probably a sleeping bag, compressed into a super tight ball, but is this really the best for packing in a seatbag, or will it just result in a small hard item with wasted space around it? :/

[RonK]

When packing stuffable/compressible items, do you favour using compression bags or packing loose in a seatbag and using that as a stuffbag itself?

I am thinking things like sleeping bags, down jackets etc. I know I can get my pillow, and probably a sleeping bag, compressed into a super tight ball, but is this really the best for packing in a seatbag, or will it just result in a small hard item with wasted space around it? :/

Naturally it pays to start with compact gear in the first place. Long experience trekking and backpacking has taught me that compressing items into a hard ball doesn't necessarily make them easier to pack. I'm planning to use a event compression dry bag only for my sleeping bag and even then I'm not going to compress it too hard. The smallest size from SeaToSummit is 6l uncompressed. It will be carried in my handlebar bag along with rain jacket, rain legs, arm and leg warmers, gloves etc.

Clothing will be organised into various sizes of silnylon stuff sacks. These are slippery and easier to pack to occupy all the available space in my seat bag. My jackets stuff neatly into their own pockets or even smaller into extra small stuff sacks.

Kitchenware, food and toiletries will be divided between Anything bags on each fork leg, and tent will be in another Anything bag under the downtube.

Top compartment of frame bag will carry water bladder, water filter etc. and the lower compartment will carry air mattress, tools and spares.

Two top tube bags will carry camera, phone, chargers, snacks etc, and a pocket on the handlebar bag will carry maps and documents, other personal stuff, medications and the like.

No room in my bags for a pillow - though perhaps I can find room for an inflatable one

[avolve]

When packing stuffable/compressible items, do you favour using compression bags or packing loose in a seatbag and using that as a stuffbag itself?

I am thinking things like sleeping bags, down jackets etc. I know I can get my pillow, and probably a sleeping bag, compressed into a super tight ball, but is this really the best for packing in a seatbag, or will it just result in a small hard item with wasted space around it? :/

Naturally it pays to start with compact gear in the first place. Long experience trekking and backpacking has taught me that compressing items into a hard ball doesn't necessarily make them easier to pack. I'm planning to use a event compression dry bag only for my sleeping bag and even then I'm not going to compress it too hard. The smallest size from SeaToSummit is 6l uncompressed. It will be carried in my handlebar bag along with rain jacket, rain legs, arm and leg warmers, gloves etc.

Clothing will be organised into various sizes of silnylon stuff sacks. These are slippery and easier to pack to occupy all the available space in my seat bag. My jackets stuff neatly into their own pockets or even smaller into extra small stuff sacks.

Kitchenware, food and toiletries will be divided between Anything bags on each fork leg, and tent will be in another Anything bag under the downtube.

Top compartment of frame bag will carry water bladder, water filter etc. and the lower compartment will carry air mattress, tools and spares.

Two top tube bags will carry camera, phone, chargers, snacks etc, and a pocket on the handlebar bag will carry maps and documents, other personal stuff, medications and the like.

No room in my bags for a pillow - though perhaps I can find room for an inflatable one

Interested in a pic of the loaded bike when you have one. Can your remind me what tent you have that fits in an anything bag?