Touring...or 'bikepacking'?

[Cathryn]

I rather like 'Microadventure'. Alastair Humphreys wrote a fab book about it with great ideas. I did one once - when we lived in California, I picked my son up from school with the car all packed up, drove to the coast, we camped overnight, got up at 6, packed up and were back at school (and work) at 8.30. It was magic.

 

[uphillstruggler]

I rather like 'Microadventure'. Alastair Humphreys wrote a fab book about it with great ideas. I did one once - when we lived in California, I picked my son up from school with the car all packed up, drove to the coast, we camped overnight, got up at 6, packed up and were back at school (and work) at 8.30. It was magic.

i may be having a micro adventure this weekend, in the garden in my hammock with tarp and bivvi

 

[mudsticks]

A micro adventure! A day out in my world.

Its my understanding that a micro adventure is supposed to involve staying out for one night at least - but you don't have to go too far.

In present times of course it feels like an adventure just leaving the valley.

How our worlds have shrunk

 

[Oldhippy]

I did find it funny the other day, me panniers full of shopping, no helmet and my usual clothes overtaking uphill a young bloke on an all dancing and singing huge cogged thingy in the safety gear getting off to walk. Young people these days no gumption.

 

[mudsticks]

I rather like 'Microadventure'. Alastair Humphreys wrote a fab book about it with great ideas. I did one once - when we lived in California, I picked my son up from school with the car all packed up, drove to the coast, we camped overnight, got up at 6, packed up and were back at school (and work) at 8.30. It was magic.

Yes in 'normal' times we can get to the beach for a bivvy and a fire after work, and then be back on the farm by next morning in time to start early again next day..

Them were the days, hopefully not too long now..

 

[uphillstruggler]

My last ‘micro adventure’ set up

 

[MichaelW2]

I used to bikepack before I could afford proper panniers, tent and stuff.

 

[Jon62]

Bike packing always looks like bit of a bodge job to me, all those things strapped where they should not be.

 

[currystomper]

It seems that there is another name for the micro adventure: the so called over night, but under 24 hour = u24o, hmmm! I go to a camp site in an orchard that is about 30 miles away, its great in May. Leave after work, cycle to the the camp site surrounded by apple blossom and the cycle home, so I guess this is an u24o. But I wouldn't worry about the name, bike packing is just light weight camping in a new marketable form, some of the ideas are good and some are err not so good. The light weight and aero design mean it's nicer in windy conditions. I still used a rack with a bag and small fold out panniers. I use a roll on the handle bars, but that's a old idea. The main thing is to get out with whatever gear you have and enjoy. A short over night trip is a good way to start, even 5 miles to a camp site via a chippy can be a great head clearer!

 

[mjr]

"Bikepacking" is a motoring lobby attempt to rename cycle touring into something that reminds people of a derogatory term for homosexuals.

 

[chriswoody]

Bike packing is just one form of touring. By eschewing panniers and racks you can keep your kit and bike really lightweight. In turn the lighter weight allows more adventurous and off road touring to be undertaken or at least that's the origins of the idea and name.

Personally, I'm a massive fan of this approach, it's allowed me to ride off road in some amazing places that would have been too much with a more traditional set up.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Another term is a micro adventure, apparently that’s another trendy term that I’m too old to use

A single day or night trip!

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Bike packing is just one form of touring. By eschewing panniers and racks you can keep your kit and bike really lightweight. In turn the lighter weight allows more adventurous and off road touring to be undertaken or at least that's the origins of the idea and name.

Personally, I'm a massive fan of this approach, it's allowed me to ride off road in some amazing places that would have been too much with a more traditional set up.

View attachment 567626

How much does all that weigh? Doesn’t look very lightweight.

 

[CanucksTraveller]

Excellent question, and an excellent thread idea!

I must be firmly in "tourer" territory now I think, I'm late 40s, steel bike, Ortliebs, and a bar bag.

For what it's worth, I'm not convinced bikepacking is always all that much lighter than "touring" setup, I suspect the same weight is just jammed elsewhere on the bike in more, smaller bags. My bike handles just fine off road.

I think bikepacking is possibly more of a mindset rather than anything else, the VW camper van and surfboard versus the proper motorhome maybe? Not sure. What's sure is that it's a very similar spirit.

 

[mudsticks]

Excellent question, and an excellent thread idea!

I must be firmly in "tourer" territory now I think, I'm late 40s, steel bike, Ortliebs, and a bar bag.

View attachment 567632

For what it's worth, I'm not convinced bikepacking is always all that much lighter than "touring" setup, I suspect the same weight is just jammed elsewhere on the bike in more, smaller bags. My bike handles just fine off road.

I think bikepacking is possibly more of a mindset rather than anything else, the VW camper van and surfboard versus the proper motorhome maybe? Not sure. What's sure is that it's a very similar spirit.

I think it really depends doesn't it.

I
The total surface area of 'baggage material' and associated strappage, of all the smaller bags don't weigh nothing.

And it's a mindset in terms of what you take / feels necessary.

I take (pretty much) the same gear for bike packing,, as for backpacking.

Verging towards the gram weenie.. Without being stupid light.

So even with tent sb, mat, stove, clothes food, etc etc, it doesn't add up to much more than 12 kg base weight.

But I still tend to use skinny panniers, and have the tent on back rack.

Rather than use 'strap ons'..

Partly because I know I'd get annoyed with all the fiddling about with the buckles and velcro attachments etc.

Especially when I forget whats in which bag.

Thing is - in today's wonderful modern world, you can mix and match, pick and choose, do a bit of both...


Subvert the genre even.

Post punk packing...