Even with a full size framebag, front roll bar bag (containing tent, sleeping bag & mat) and underseat pack containing clothes I still needed a rucksack. It was said rucksack that made the last trip hard work. I didn’t realise just how much harder things seem when you have a fully loaded 25 litre backpack containing food, 3 litre bladder …

So with a long trip planned for mid Feb, I am thinking about gear choices. I have purchased a pannier rack for the MTB and can’t decide whether to go with seat pack and a 20 litre dry bag fixed on top of the pannier rack or ditch the seatpack and dry bag and just take the ortlieb city panniers I use for commuting.

Horses for courses, but interested to here what others do. When I see people cycling the divide rucksack free and just with a small frame bag, front roll bar bag and seatpack I can’t help but think they don’t have everything if weather conditions really turned for the worse.

I reckon something like this might work well?

Kayak Dry bag

I’ve toured with panniers and with “bikepacking” bags. Panniers are fine for road work but I’d always use the soft bags for off-road. Truth is, now I’m used to them I use them for road stuff too.

It’s true that gear selection and choice is more critical but I find that having more space just leads to carrying more gear.

I’ve toured with panniers and with “bikepacking” bags. Panniers are fine for road work but I’d always use the soft bags for off-road. Truth is, now I’m used to them I use them for road stuff too.

It’s true that gear selection and choice is more critical but I find that having more space just leads to carrying more gear.

Panniers do rattle as well, but I like to pack for all eventualities and full waterproofs, overshoes and a warm synthetic jacket in case you get caught out in a cold snap take up space. I found it hard to have this stuff as well as 2 changes of bibs, shirts .. without having to accept a rucksack.

You’re probably still carrying too much stuff?

That could be true. I do carry a t-shirt, merino wool layer, trousers, fleece for camp. Towel …

Maybe these things are deemed unnecessary in the ultra lightweight cycling fraternity?

I’m doing a 5-day unsupported arctic race in February – handlebar roll, framebag, fork-mounted anything cages, top-tube bags, rear rack with small panniers and dry bag – arctic-grade sleeping bag and bivvy, insulated jacket and pants, 5-days food, stove and fuel, spare clothing, socks etc. Apart from a very light backpack with spare jacket – everything else is on the bike.

rear rack with small panniers and dry bag

Care to post a picture?

In fact would love to see picture of full rig.

a fully loaded 25 litre backpack containing food, 3 litre bladder …

That’s a lot, on top of a loaded bike.

When I see people cycling the divide rucksack free and just with a small frame bag, front roll bar bag and seatpack I can’t help but think they don’t have everything if weather conditions really turned for the worse.

60-100 or so racers finish the TD race each year these days, I expect most if not all of them are prepared for the conditions, they might just prepare in a different way ie, keep moving to keep warm in bad weather, pack lighter to be able to move faster and not be caught in the weather for as long, have experience of how far they can push on in bad weather without becoming too exposed. Or, you sit it out rather than wear yourself down. Judgement and experience I suppose. An ability to ‘rely’ on some luck also, and/or to deal with it not working out.
But they’re not packing

a t-shirt, merino wool layer, trousers, fleece for camp. Towel … this stuff as well as 2 changes of bibs, shirts .

A change of shorts and socks is about it, not all will bother with that. Bad weather layers, yes.
Take out a lot of the clothing and pack lighter overall and you can get ride faster or easier. You might also find that you’re capable of toughing it out more than you think when you leave a lot of gear behind. If you don’t want to have to tough it out that’s fine, you just need more time+energy to cart around your safety net. There’s no right or wrong way in all this though. Depends where you’re going in Feb also.

a fully loaded 25 litre backpack containing food, 3 litre bladder …
That’s a lot, on top of a loaded bike.
When I see people cycling the divide rucksack free and just with a small frame bag, front roll bar bag and seatpack I can’t help but think they don’t have everything if weather conditions really turned for the worse.
60-100 or so racers finish the TD race each year these days, I expect most if not all of them are prepared for the conditions, they might just prepare in a different way ie, keep moving to keep warm in bad weather, pack lighter to be able to move faster and not be caught in the weather for as long, have experience of how far they can push on in bad weather without becoming too exposed. Or, you sit it out rather than wear yourself down. Judgement and experience I suppose. An ability to ‘rely’ on some luck also, and/or to deal with it not working out.
But they’re not packing
a t-shirt, merino wool layer, trousers, fleece for camp. Towel … this stuff as well as 2 changes of bibs, shirts .
A change of shorts and socks is about it, not all will bother with that. Bad weather layers, yes.
Take out a lot of the clothing and pack lighter overall and you can get ride faster or easier. You might also find that you’re capable of toughing it out more than you think when you leave a lot of gear behind. If you don’t want to have to tough it out that’s fine, you just need more time+energy to cart around your safety net. There’s no right or wrong way in all this though. Depends where you’re going in Feb also.

jameso – the 25 litre backpack was a real fun wrecker!

Flights booked to go and cycle the TA in NZ. Not sure it gets as cold as it did on the TD. Had -4c nights and cold frosty mornings in Sept where I would have frozen if I didn’t have the full winter gear like I would ride here in the UK. Went from really cold am to 30c in the afternoon.

If I can leave some of that behind then potentially I can get away with quite a bit less.

TA in NZ

Brilliant .. Not sure about weather, GDR can be really cold but wet and exposed means too-cold sooner or later anyway? Maybe look at how to stay warm with less or more wide-ranging and multi-use kit? eg hooded primaloft layers like the Montane Fireball that can be 350g but really warm to ride in, even when wet. For riding down to freezing inc rain I’ve had spring-autumn kit plus a good warm layer and a proper but light G-tex hooded mountain jacket. Good gloves. WP long socks and Endura Helium WP shorts instead of WP trousers, that kind of thing.

I pretty much have all of that gear. Just need to have another good packing session to see where the excess stuff is creeping in.

Yes. Gives a bit of impotus to keep riding this winter. Only 3 months so not a great deal of time to get really fit. I have done nearly 5000 miles this year so far, so hoping that should mean I should be ok. Just need to start getting weekend back to back rides in with fully loaded bike.

This was my rig for this year’s Rovaniemi 150 – for next year’s 300 I’ll be adding a pair of 12L Alpkit panniers for my extra food and air mattress – I’ll also have a 1L flask across the top of my bars. Backpack will contain a down jacket and insulated pants.

@dovebiker – Thanks for sharing that. Based on your setup, I think I will do the same and bin off the 13 litre seat pack and go with the 20 litre dry bag on the pannier rack.

Is that a 20 litre bag on yours?