Panniers?

I’ve used them too (and still do on the road bike).

PICT3465 by ScotRoutes, on Flickr

P1040480 by ScotRoutes, on Flickr

My experiences off-road lead me to believe that the “in-line” luggage systems are preferable due to (a) better handling, (b) better fore-aft weight distribution (c) a narrow bike doesn’t catch on so much heather/undergrowth (and other obstacles) (d) lifting it over obstacles is also easier.

I wouldn’t rule out a trailer if I could be assured the route was suitable but just think about one decent river crossing; you could end up getting wet three times if you have to take them across/through separately.

bike post bb by scandalous29er, on Flickr

My rig post bb 200. Using bb7s!

I ride single speed and I can tell you with certainty that there is still shed loads of maintenance.

There is more with a geared bike granted. Cassette, derailleur etc but you still spend a considerable amount of time maintaining the bike especially for xc duties.

Most people dont ride single speed because it reduces maintenance. That is only a small factor. They ride single speed because its without a doubt the purest and funnest form to ride.

Hammering the trail and putting the power down whilst out of the saddle is incredibly fun. Silence etc is just a biproduct. The real reason to go single speed is fun. In abudance.
Sorry, my mistake … I bow to your superior knowledge, please accept my apologies.

Eh? On my inbred singlespeed I can do 50 miles at a winter series race and not need to do anything other than wipe the chain down with a gt85 soaked rag. I have to do more cleaning on my commuter for the same distance with gears. Anyhoo, what do I know?

Its not about bike snobbery or superior knowledge its only about the fun factor.

Anyhows back on topic. Starting to sound like a zealot here.

I dont run sealed cartridge bearings. Perhaps this explains a lot.

GT85 is amzing stuff. 😀

Fargo fully loaded & geared with awesome BB7s:

Another Fargo, by the sea, home made frame bag, wildcat in the main for the rest.

And the constantly adjusted and maintained SS with (for me) the bearbones. 😉

Nice pics. Has anyone seen the surly ECR? Does anybody know if there are any other frames accepting a knard out back?

Knard-able:

Pugsley
Travers Rudy Fat
Mukluk (I believe)

Perfect thread for a miserable wet Sunday stuck indoors doing boring Sunday stuff

Happened to me. Both ends failed within a few miles on a couple of hours ride in the Pentlands one evening. It was very cold (minus 5). Suspect something happened to the seals, lost all braking. I don’t trust Shimanos system in the cold now for this reason, and dislike them for other reasons (no replaceable seals). Suspect that proper brake fluid systems are better for robustness (e.g. Hope).

A Fatback will also take a knard on rabbit hole in the rear.

Hardrock 29er, stock other than Reba’s instead of stock fork and Fleegle’s:

Homemade frame bag, homemade harness for the handlebar roll, strapped up alpkit/ortlieb dry bags. The rear dry bag now has a better strapping system, and I’ve slashed the amount of stuff I take with me, making the handlebar roll smaller.

On the subject of handlebars – some people strap up over the bars, some strap under the bars – to a certain extent this seems related to the amount of stuff (it needs to be smaller to fit down under) but is there a handling advantage to having it lower? (I’m guessing there is) I’ve avoided putting the kit lower down because it seems easier to strap it up out of the way of the hoses/cables, am I missing out?

On the subject of handlebars – some people strap up over the bars, some strap under the bars – to a certain extent this seems related to the amount of stuff (it needs to be smaller to fit down under) but is there a handling advantage to having it lower? (I’m guessing there is) I’ve avoided putting the kit lower down because it seems easier to strap it up out of the way of the hoses/cables, am I missing out?

The lower you can get any weight the better.
Mounting it lower can be a bit more complicated as there are cable routings to take into account but that’s not too much of an issue.
The only other downsides you may have from mounting things high up are it may obscure your view of the trail and limit the mounting options for lights.

[/URL][/img]
Fargo

Bam
[/URL][/img][/URL][/img]

I have an 800mm bar on my ss in the hope that this setup lends itself to a larger dry bag.

Having said that the wide bar is hellish fun and not just down hill. Surprisingly fun uphill too with bar ends.

Knards on the back did you say…

And a couple of others while we are here…

We all know its coming some day. Its after the 29+. Yep. 29er fatbikes. Somebody will do it in 2014.

OK weird question has anyone’s bike gone missing while they were sleeping? Only thing that really puts me off the idea a little

I carry a Abus Granit 54.
Insurance and peace of mind.
I lock mine to trees etc. At worst my bike is locked and then para cord to me!

Where I sleep? Nah!

With luggage you cannot really leave your bike anywhere public

I was wondering about running a black cord to the zip on the bag or something

Are we only doin 29″ers ? … as im a short arse and still ride a 26″ .. here is mine before my aber to Birmingham trip

OK weird question has anyone’s bike gone missing while they were sleeping?

Nope. You’re not going to be camping out anywhere near anyone so whos going to take it?
I usually take a small lock to use if I need to pop into a shop.

Just getting my bike sorted for this years travels. Just got some Wildcat bags freshly made (seat sling and frame bag). Handlebar sling, bag, and feed bag are Revelate Designs. Going to have to rework or replace the handlebar sling as it doesn’t work well with the current setup.

This was my Cube Attention 29 before it’s first outing. The sleeping mat on the bars now goes in a drybag, along with a tent. Using cheap Tesco kit at the minute (hence the large size of the post mounted sleeping bag) but looking to start upgrading. Also considering having a go at making a frame bag.

The Bikepacking Machine by durhambiker, on Flickr

Bikepacking ? I call it touring .!!

Bikepacking ? I call it touring .!!

Its a broad church but its all about getting out there 😀

OK weird question has anyone’s bike gone missing while they were sleeping? Only thing that really puts me off the idea a little

We hosted an Australian cyclist last year who had been all round the world on a shoestring, travelling extensively in Asia and S America. He had never had bother with thieving……until the morning we met him. In Inverness 😳

He was woken at 6.30 am by the sound of a jakey attempting a getaway with his bike through bushes where he had camped on the Ness Islands

He gave chase and the jakey ran off, dropping two cans of Tennents super. He had one for his breakfast on a bench there and then, giving him a warm glow which he basked in for the rest of the day 🙂

I don’t bring a lock bikepacking, what’s a deer going to do with a fatbike?

Lurcher. This was my full winter setup for biving in January so it’s a bit packed up.

Looking at doing some bike packing stuff myself over this next year. Primary trip will be a rather long road one (LeJog), but after this I’d be more interested in doing more off-road stuff. Bearing in mind I’d be camping and want to be completely self-sufficient, how do you find the frame-bags, mixed with the saddle and bar bag for capacity?

Enough for tent, sleeping bag, thermarest, stove, food and layers? Obviously, I’d take my camelbak too.

Fatbikes are great for ruts 🙂

So, maybe a dull question, but why do 29ers seem more popular for adventure type cycling? Do they suit ss better than 26″ for some reason?

Or is just a transfer from US adventure stuff where 29ers are more established? Or just niche for the sake of it?

Are there just as many 26″ bikepacking bikes out there?

Ok, I can see the point of not using panniers (rattly, wide, broken clips etc), I’m a little surprised there aren’t more racks though. There’s some big saddlebags here sat in exactly the same place as they’d sit if they were strapped onto a rack.
I can see that a rack would be perhaps an extra lb or so but is surely more secure and versatile.

Pah double post