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Dirty Reiver…… how do you pack yours
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steve_b77Free Member
Just looking at the required kit list and the advisable one too, there’s quite a bit of stuff to carry.
So, what’s the best non-backpack way of carrying it all?
I’m thinking a top tube bag and a 10L saddle bag, with bottles in Elite Cussi metal cages.
anagallis_arvensisFull MemberTop tube bag and pockets would do it IMO. Maybe small saddle bag for tools or if it was my bike the 3rd bottle cage for tools. Foil blankets go under a saddle with gaffer tape.
whitestoneFree MemberWaterproof in jersey pocket then it’s immediately to hand should it start raining – never did last year.
Pump, spare tube, lights on bike. Two bottle cages each with a 750ml bottle.That leaves the spare top, emergency blanket, whistle, multi-tool, tyre levers, spares, buff, FAK, phone.
I used two Revelate Feed Bags – their version of a stem cell, and a small tool bag under the saddle. Multi-tool, spares, levers and emergency blanket went in the tool bag. Whistle and buff went in the elasticated pockets on the Feed bags. FAK (in a small ziplock pouch) and phone went in a jersey pocket. Can’t remember the spare top being in last year’s list. Food went in the main bit of the feed bags.
Total volume of bags was probably 3 litres.
joshvegasFree MemberTough one. I’ve over packed the last two years. Nit like daft 30litres. But i’ve taken too much food and stuff i never wore (except leg and arm warmers) . But the weather has been okay, if it was grim you could end up miles from anywhere and pretty miserable.
Used a carradice seat pack (looks like a sat pack nit an old school touring thing) as it allows opening and rummaging.
This year i’m going to try packing down a bit. And try going faster aswell 😂
mereditpFree MemberIf you’re not especially quick then think about the food you’re going to need. Last year the first two feeds were barren by the time I got there, pleased I carried a lot of savory stuff as there was nothing at the first feed and very little at the second (130 for me so didn’t get to the 3rd feed which I did hear good things about)
mereditpFree Member..and this was after speaking to the organisers about the problem the year before and getting assurances that they would do better. They didn’t, they did far worse.
whitestoneFree MemberI was fairly quick to the first feed station and just grabbed two or three bits of cake/flapjack. Had a puncture shortly after so was a bit slower to the second but just got the same there. Had much more at the third, a few potatoes, coleslaw and the like. Generally you just need a quick top up rather than a full meal.
There’s a big temptation to pack things, “just in case”, when really, certainly if you make sure you maintain your bike, the chances of “in case” are very slim. The number of people with mechanicals on the first climb was unbelievable as were the number of misaligned/badly adjusted drivetrains – “why are my gears making so much noise?”. I’d be tempted to service or get your bike serviced a couple of weeks beforehand then do a shakedown ride before the event to make sure everything is as it should be.
johnw1984Free MemberMe and my wife are doing it for the first time this year (130 because the 200 sold out). Not got gravel bikes so we’re just doing it on our full sus XC bikes.
Think I’ll just carry most stuff in back packs between us, should be enough room for everything then.
whitestoneFree Member@johnw1984 – use the smallest backpack you can otherwise you’ll be tempted to fill it “just in case”. Been there, done that. Something like the Lobo (there’s a PSA on a sale on them) lets you fit a bladder and more than enough space for the required kit.
tiimFree MemberSmall decathlon top tube bag slung under the top tube with 2 tubes, tyre boot, whistle, spare garmin batteries and torch all in it (not opened for the full ride). Top tube bag with 4 or 5 bars in, I then put armwarmers into it when they came off. 2 750ml bottle in cages and then pockets with some gels and a couple more bars in.
I was broadly self sufficient for food (a bar an hour plus a spare) and collected my drop bag at the halfway-ish point to re-fill pockets. I did see people seeming to carry a LOT of stuff, then again I also rode with a guy on a CX bike with only pocket supplies so you can go either way really!
johnw1984Free Member@whitestone
Thanks for the advice, I think our backpacks are only pretty small so I’ll do a trial run with them on a shorter route first.Thing is, I’ve not got much in the way of frame bags and there isn’t much space to put them on our bikes (especially Nic’s bike, small Trek Top Fuel). My Spark has a dropper fitted so I don’t want to put a saddle pack on that.
I’m sure I’ll cope 🙂
rickonwheelsFree MemberI did the 130 last year on a hardtail, and ended up buying a bikepacking seat pack, which most things went in, other than a few snacks in a small bag attached to top tube/ stem. As it was glorious weather, it was massive overpacking, but I was prepared for all eventualities weather and breakdown-wise. It waggled a lot – quite distracting.
Of the people I rode with, one had a backpack (got sweaty) and the other had a proper bikepacking handlebar bag.
Lots of the riders seemed to be carrying barely anything.
whitestoneFree MemberIf a seatpack “waggles” then you’ve either:
a) packed too much or too heavy kit in it.
b) packed it wrongly.😜
Here’s my bike (after the event obviously due to ride number)
dovebikerFull MemberNot done the Reiver, but been out for up to 24 hours with no more than:
Half-frame bag for clothing etc.
Top tube bag for immediately accessible stuff
Seat pack for your spare tube etc
2 bottle cages for drinksOnce you’ve tried riding without a backpack you never want to go back
butcherFull MemberI’ve done it every year with the exactly the same stuff I take on every ride.
Tools, tube, puncture repair kit, spare links, etc, in saddlebag.
Pump on frame.
Additional clothing, phone, space blanket and food in Jersey pockets.Top tube bag is handy for food, but that’s personal preference and depends on how confident you are with what you’ve got and how much you plan on taking.
Unless you’re a relatively fast rider, definitely take lights. (last section is on road, unless it’s changed)
Backpack is the absolute last thing I take on any ride, when all other bags are full, there are no more bungees, and there is absolutely no other option. A small Camelbak for a short off-road ride may be an exception.
Do make use of the drop bag, which will save you carrying so much food.
johnw1984Free MemberHmm, I’ve realy got used to not wearing a pack recently, but I do have one of those USWE ones that doesn’t move, and it’s really comfy (if a little small).
I’ll have to lay all my stuff out and have a think about it. There will be two of us at least, so we can share carrying duties anyway.
whitestoneFree MemberErr, the mandatory kit is per rider not per team.
Just remembered another potential bag option – the Alpkit Gnaro. It’s 3 litres, fits a set of drop bars (my wife uses one on her Pinnacle Arkose when commuting) and you’d get all the mandatory kit in there with ease. Dual ended so you can put clothing at one end and spares at the other to make it simple to get to stuff.
rickonwheelsFree MemberIf a seatpack “waggles” then you’ve either:
a) packed too much or too heavy kit in it.
b) packed it wrongly.Not saying you are wrong, but i’ve put a lot of time into trying to stop it waggling, and thus-far failed. I’ve tried numerous packing techniques, tried extra straps, tried strategic addition of gaffer tape, bungee cords – it waggles whatever I do!
FWIW it’s a Lomo 13L seat pack, maybe it’s the design, maybe I have an overly waggly cycling technique, maybe i’m just incompetent 😉
I’ve actually since bought a woho xtouring anti-sway device (https://www.bikeinn.com/bike/woho-xtouring-anti-sway/136657517/p), which has the added bonus of a couple of extra bottle mounts. Not got round to trying it yet though…
branesFull MemberLast year I went with Alpkit Possum frame bag and pod top tube bag, with two water bottles.
I think I’ll do the same this year. Main advantages for me are:
– Plenty of space, so I don’t have to be too spartan, or waste time with careful packing.
– Convenient for costume changes as I’m not carrying anything in my pockets (at least initially), or a backpack.
– Everything is easily accessible while riding, particularly food.
– Battery in the top tube bag for Garmin/light charging.
– I have a carbon fibre seatpost which would be susceptible to rubbing. Not a biggie that one, and can be mostly fixed by tape, but it is a long ride for a seat bag to be swaying around.I’d never consider any backpack for the Reiver. An already hard ride for 10hrs+ with a pack not my idea of any type of fun.
Previous years I went with big seat pack, top tube bag and pockets. That was ok too, although I kept my Goretex on both of those years as I recall.
I might consider a bag drop this year – the food is mostly too sweet imo. First year was good with plenty of sarnies at the stops, 2nd year my stomach couldn’t take any more and gave up at about 3/4 distance, so I took my own sarnies all the way last year. Glad I did as the food stops were very sweet again. Yes there’s the half-boiled potato stop, that was too late for me, it’s not really that far from the end of the hard stuff.
Having said all that the course is different this year, so that will change the food equation a bit. All the more reason to carry your own supply really.
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