Bike-packing/cycle touring luggage question

I have a lovely Planet-X Tempest and some Altura panniers from my old Kona Sutra touring set up. I want to do a big tour – into mainland Europe, should I just go with the big ‘old style’ rack and panniers, or get new style bikepacking frame/seat/bar bags?
If so, which brand would you recommend for combination of value, capacity and weather protection. Thankyouplease

If you are on road/good off-road then panniers will be fine . Save your cash for the trip.

If you’re traveling light then old style (new wave) barbag and saddlebag work really well.

Thanks Druidh. Was going to ask you directly, but thought I’d ask on here first.

If you’re traveling light then old style (new wave) barbag and saddlebag work really well.

This is a good point. The new style luggage might require further investment in lighter weight/more compact kit too.

Stick with what you have, but also maybe get yourself a top tube and half-frame bag if funds allow? Makes it much more convenient to access things like snacks, tools, waterproof jacket, etc without having to stop and open up the panniers each time. You could also strap a drybag with your tent or sleeping bag to the handlebars, this will help spread the weight across the bike.

A bar bag would help balance the bike a bit (weight-wise).

Framebags I ride with most the time now as it can negate the need for a backpack, great for cafe lock/spares/multi tool/rain jacket/food/etc.

If you’re road based then, whilst new seat packs are great, ability to readily remove panniers is a benefit (harness seat pack systems ain’t cheap, and packing them takes practice/technique).

I’m sure you could find someone to borrow some off to trial if you wanted… if Scotroutes doesn’t have I’m sure he knows people who do 😉

Soft luggage requires frame protection as rubbing destroys paint.

I have a mix of Wildcat and Revelate stuff. I like the harness systems (bar and seat). I went ortlieb for a start but packing whilst luggage on the bike is awkward and removing and refining it a pain/fiddly.

A bar harness helps stand the bag off the bike and the rub is more or less restricted to the restraining straps.

What druid said. Also if “big tour” = a lot of kit then forget bike packing bags which hold about as much as a pannier and a half in total.

What time of year is this your.

Extended touring in anything but summer , panniers are superior in almost every way.

Any extended off-road then that’s where the bike packing luggage comes in

JoJo – I’ve just bought some daft cheap frame bags / top tube bags / bar bags from PlanetX*. Three are Pod, the bar bag Altura. A nice addition to our panniers for some planned tours of ours.

custom made frame bag from https://www.bike-bag.co.uk/. Holds a surprising amount of stuff. these guys are good and cheap and a custom bag is loads better than an off the peg one. Frame bag and a medium set of panniers should be enough. If not use a trailer

For a big tour you want to be comfy

Frame bag and a medium set of panniers should be enough. If not use a trailer

Or 4 panniers.

There’s comfy and there’s over packed.

Trailers are for tandem users who end up 4 panniers shorter due to space.

I’m always reminded of the Dutch fella pulling his massively overloaded trailer round NZ. His trailer alone must have weighed 100kg. It was piled 5 ft high. He had regular kitchen pots and pans…..

You can mix and match. Add a bar role to two rear panniers, or front panniers and seat pack and no rear. At the end of the days it will depend on the time of year, where you’re going, what you plan on doing what kit you have what your requirements are.

I’d do some test packing in your case and if you think you can loose a pair of panniers without being unbalanced and a cheap soft bag try it. If it’s marginal I would not bother as packing at home in the dry is always more compact than packing in the wet on the side of a hill.

I’m always reminded of the Dutch fella pulling his massively overloaded trailer round NZ. His trailer alone must have weighed 100kg. It was piled 5 ft high. He had regular kitchen pots and pans…..

The dutch are insane. I met one travelling with a track pump. 4 huge panniers plus a huge rack bag He had been to Norway

Figure out what kit you *need* to take and what it will fit in. Note I said *need*, that isn’t the same as *want*. Don’t pack your fears and avoid the “what if …” or “just in case” type items.

For road I’d go with (small) panniers front and rear. Then add small bags like top tube bags for those little sundries that you need to access whilst riding. I’ve an Ortlieb handlebar bag that rapidly mounts/unmounts so you can easily take it with you if you go into a café.

Jo – I have both a Revelate “bikepacking” bar bag and an proper “touring” Ortlieb Ultimate that you can borrow to try and for your trip. Personally, I’d go with the latter for a road based tour. Access is simple. You might need to think about an extender bar for lights but I can likely sort you out with one of those too.

as they said tho don’t overpack. You will curse every kilo on every climb

Interesting thread. For those warning OP about paint damage – he’s got a titanium bike.

Trailers are for tandem users who end up 4 panniers shorter due to space.

basic trailer is less than two big rear panniers in capacity. the advantage is it handles better and is more aero. disadvantage a chunk of weight. don’t discount trailers. Yo don’t have to overload them

She’s got a titanium bike.

FTFY 😁

Can you fit a front pannier to a Tempest? looking at the PX site the (carbon) fork doesn’t look to have any mountings, and I’d not want to chance strapping anything to the legs…

So it’s probably some mixed options whatever luggage you have for the rear rack, plus frame bag, Gas tank, Bar bag?

One thing I’ve not seen asked yet, when you say a “Big tour” OP how big do you mean roughly in terms of Days/weeks/months/miles?
And will you be camping the whole time?
Carrying shelter for several weeks (i.e. a tent) can take a chunk of volume…

She’s got a titanium bike.

Opps! Sorry!
I have a Tempest too and it does have carbon forks with no mountings on them. I wouldn’t want to try to attach owt to them.

Thanks for all the advice. I will likely be practicing in the winter for a few nights at a time with a tent. The potential bigger tour would be for a couple of months with tent and occasional hostel type accommodation.
Would fork bags á la the strap on Podsacs ones on Planet X site be a total no-no on carbon forks, even with protective wrapping? Could I swap the forks…
I’m thinking based on the info on this thread I’ll go with my current rear panniers on a lighter rack plus a frame bag, bar bag and maybe fork bags if possible.

I’m always reminded of the Dutch fella pulling his massively overloaded trailer round NZ. His trailer alone must have weighed 100kg. It was piled 5 ft high. He had regular kitchen pots and pans…..

You dont have to overload a trailer, they fill a gap between bikepacking and paniers when you need more kit on off road trails imo.

Could I swap the forks…

I would probably do this. So much more secure for a long trip and you could pick up a second hand pair I would have thought.

I’d go with the rack and panniers you have, add a bar bag (either traditional or modern depending on what you think you’ll use long term). Then maybe a rack top bag, seat bag or tent strapped on the top of the rack.

I’m a big fan of traditional carradice saddle bags, as the transverse orientation means you can rest it on a rack and still have half the racks top deck for a tent, dry bag etc. Also, I like their weight distribution when used on their own.  Need to be careful about size of bag when choosing.

Also, if you are doing a “big tour” and already gave a Kona sutra, would that not be a more suitable bike for the intended trip?  Unless you want to go fast/light, the try to minimise what you’re taking and use as few bags as possible.

https://www.tubus.com/en/products/rear-carriers/tubus-product/airy

Thanks for the advice, Keith. I sold the Sutra to part fund the Tempest.
I’m going to stick with the existing Altura panniers and go with a new bar bag. I included the boxy Altura one with the sale of the Sutra as I couldn’t be arsed removing the attachment unit.