I read this and thought who cares?
Why spoil bike packing with a load of technology?
I think sometimes simple is better.

E-biking is definitely better than no biking.

E-biking also means I can go places I couldn’t walk anymore.

I didn’t mean to be disparaging or anything.
I don’t know how it feels in your shoes. I would much rather see people having fun on a ebike than not at all.
I am not young (69) and far from fit having had a heart attack a few years ago.
I still hopefully have time to get an ebike later:)

Done a bit of bike packing and touring. And often wished i’d had an e bike, but am too mean to buy one. Also – there’s not a lot of space generally so if you’re losing your tent for batteries it all sounds pretty finely judged. Or a lot of Voile straps are involved.

Well it’s at least 8 years since I met 2 folk doing the Cairngorm loop on e bikes successfullyI’d imagine the tech’s only got better

I’ve done several 70+ mile, 6000ft ascent bikepacking rides on my Orbea Rise with the piggyback battery. I’m always a bit nervous about running out and eek the power out so invariably I get home with over 30% left in the tank! It all depends on how fit you are, how hilly it is, and how much you rely on the power. Quite often I ride the first 15-20 miles without assist. I was considering doing the Dirt Dash on it next year (first time I did it was on a singlespeed ffs – thanks Long Covid!). The good thing about a lighter ebike like the Levo and Rise is that if you do run out it can still be ridden without too much pain for the last bit home. I just need to work out a way to hotwire a kettle and toastie maker to the battery and it would be the perfect bikepacking machine…

I’ve done a few nights on my e-bike “bikepacking” – well riding from hotel to hotel.

First time was from my home town Consett to Sill YHA on Hadrian’s Wall – about 80ish miles stayed in the YHA then back to Consett via Hexham and along the Tyne Valley before picking up the C2C back to Consett.

More recently (a few weeks ago) did the Rebellion Way in Norfolk (Kings Lynn to Sheringham (YHA). Sheringham to Diss (Hotel). Diss back to Kings Lynn). About 75-77 miles per day.

All great fun – charged the battery overnight each time and once in a fish and chip shop while I had lunch on the 1st day just to top the battery up – but to be honest it still had enough juice to get me to Sheringham. Seat postbag on the back with all the usual stuff. The bike has a range of about 105 miles (although it was 117 last year when I got the bike factoring in the 10% ish loss over a year for the battery).

I’ve done single nights on the ebike, around 35 miles total.
My bike is a bit older, with a 400wh battery, but manages that distance on eco setting fairly easily.
For me, using an ebike turns the trip into manageable, compared to being at the absolute limits of my physical endurance on a normal loaded bike.

There was a chap at the Jennride on a Rise with a spare battery. I’m assuming he made it back…