Bike Packing Tips

I’ve got a trip on the KAW coming in September – done some hotel back packing last year, but we are doing KAW over 4 days on CX/gravel bikes (also got to sort fixings for a rack on my CX bike).  Given we’ve travelled light enough for two days, this is over 4 – said to organiser it’s a holiday, so 50 miles a day is enough, rather than smash it in 3.

Fiirst night and fifth is in a premier inn at the top of the loop.

Got a 500g decent ground mat and a good used lightweight backacking tent 1500g recently so sorted that side. Also got a reasonably compact sleeping bag.

Got Ortlieb Front rollers (off the commuter) that I intend to fit (on the rear rack) and a bar bag and a couple of dry bags. Will fit a rack using axel mounts.

Got a fair amount of general camping kit, but not so light weight. Thinking of taking the Camping gaz click on burner and a CV cartridge – they work well although not super light. Will take a mug, some small pots etc.

Anything we should, or should not take ?

Staying on camping sites (or pub camping sites). Can divert route to eat evening meals etc, buy food, so no need to over carry.

Keeping stuff light weight (ish) as two of us are running 10 year old CX race bikes with no fixings and canti’s, and I’ve no room for frame bags – can fit a rear rack/bar bag/rucksack. Other mate has a carbon gravel bike with ‘fittings’.

TLS – the revolutionary packing system.

Take less stuff.

Is it mega hilly? 50 miles a day seems pretty short on gravel bikes. 10 mph = 5h saddle time?. Start at 9am finished riding at 3pm with an hour’s of stops?

I’d be taking some game/ books/ planning a significant amount of time in the pub.

I find a back pack+ whatever is in it hurts my bum so personally I try and avoid a backpack. My winter sleeping bag is massive, I have to use a backpack in winter, only the relatively light stuff goes on the back pack.

Heavy luxuries for me
Dry socks
Dry gloves
Dry clothes to sleep in- a pair of long John’s and a spare base layer.

I’d plan food. If you are diverting off route for meals, do you need the cooking gear? If you have the time plan to get food and avoid carrying the cooking gear.

Hope its fun 😄

Useful resource for planning camp sites, hotels, pubs and eateries:

Rough Rider Guide: I didn’t find out about this until after we did the KAW in 2021, but it is a great resource and well worth a look as is the Rough Ride Guides website.
https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/viewer?mid=1oWVjQK_wRcOmlrOGriD9Xa8mZZaJW965&ll=51.09136649186714%2C-1.0244713759399648&z=9&fbclid=IwAR11YPFyZxgoL7MK4Jo9xSwnBv8D37pXyCcwgbQaxLEaH0n3EFv3TgWoMjE

We did the KAW over 5 days, roughly 50 miles per day, at the end of September 2021. It may seem obvious, but unless you are lucky (we were mostly) as you can get all kinds of weather at that time of year so you need to be prepared for sun, rain, wind, hot, cold, etc.

Lots of blogs and websites out there dedicated to the KAW, here’s mine if you fancy a read –

King Alfred’s Way – Dorset MTB (home.blog)

Good luck it’s a great ride and a great (fairly safe) way to get into bike packing.

Fiirst night and fifth is in a premier inn at the top of the loop.

I think that’s a good place to start – get the Reading-Surrey section done early and finish after the better sections around the 6 to 2 o’clock parts.

I don’t bother with stoves etc apart from a mini meths burner and a ti mug for a coffee/brew. There’s loads of food / dinner options on the route and I’ll often carry food from a shop to the camp spot. Cold dinners are ok for me though, ymmv.

Take something to repair flint cuts in tyres, if you’re not already familiar with SDW and Ridgway terrain. You’ll probably be ok but cut tyres are a higher risk around there.

Thanks for the link @gazzab1955. Going early September and well aware of weather – especially with 4 days riding and need for clean/dry kit when camping.  My mate has pre-booked the hotel/accommodation, and we’ve not got the worry of wild camping or finding somewhere – he loves this planning and you can guarantee there will be a pub/eatery and shops within a short ride.

One of our mates had done it previously so we’re getting some advise – he won’t do it with us this time as he doesn’t do camping – Egyptian cotton is more his thing. Lol.

Thanks for advice about tyre cuts – not something we pick up in the ‘Peaks’

We’re all currently gathering ‘bits’ – the lightweight tent and sleeping mat were the essentials and I picked both up ‘used’ from another cycling forum.

I’ll take a book – we’re not ‘rushing’ – was the first thing two of us said. When we did the Pennine Bridleway – just 85 miles of it, it was two long days of out on the bikes by 10am and not back to accommodation until 6pm. Fortunately, there was nothing more to do than get clean, hang gear up and go down stairs for beer and food.

Starting before 10, leisurely lunch, some taking in the sights, and camping around 4-5pm, then faffing, and a wander to a pub is fine by me.