riding offroad for a couple of day, what would you choose.

and reason.

It depends how lightweight your kit is and on the terrain. I’m a firm believer in loading the bike and not the person but with very light kit and on challenging terrain then I’ll choose the backpack.

I did the 300km Cairngorms Loops route recently and was glad of the full suspension bike. That has little capacity for luggage carrying and I knew I wasn’t going to be stopping long so no need for camping comfort.

Anyroadup – you, teeto and egf. Can any other auld bugger gatecrash?

I really don’t mind riding with a rucksack, but having a clear back is helpful. I find it’s terrain specific.

If it’s easy or steady riding I find bags on the bike to be easier. If it’s more technical then I find a rucksack to be easier, or have no bag on the bars

Also, if you’re constantly in and out of pubs/cafes/resupply points I sometimes find a rucksack (or bumbag) easier – phone, wallet, map, bits and bobs etc

Drop bar bike – definitely all on bike, hunched over with a bag on kills my back.

MTB – bit of both, I like a camelbak for my drinks, so just water and lunch / jacket in the bag, then a bar roll and seatbag for everything else.

Anyroadup – you, teeto and egf. Can any other auld bugger gatecrash?

yes, there is a spare place at the yoho.

I’m taking….Trusty Rusty with a 13ltr Alpkit drybag on a seatpost rack, a Camelbak something or another cos I can’t remember what it is & a bag of jelly babies.

i wasnt meaning for our weekend. just interested in what people use.
i have used all sorts of bikepacking bags, and i cant get on with em.
handlebar bags bounce about and block my view or the front wheel, i know it dont matter but it does to me
the seat packs stop me getting my arse over the back of the seat on steep stuff.

and i quiet like a rucksack on my back. it sort off helps to keep me warm in the winter, and there is always plenty of room for spare clothes and food.

block my view or the front wheel, i know it dont matter but it does to me

the seat packs stop me getting my arse over the back

As I said, on some terrain a backpack makes more sense. Decent bags don’t bounce around though.

https://www.blog.scotroutes.com/2019/09/and-best-bike-for-bikepacking-is_23.html

It’s not fashionable, but I quite like a rucksack for off-road. I find that weight on the bike makes it into a tank, whereas if it’s on my back it stays nice and nimble. I find it worse even just rolling over rocky ground never mind agile singletrack.

Has to be pretty light kit though.

Tony – first rule is reduce weight of what you are packing. If you take lots of stuff then no matter where you carry it it will feel like lead.

Earlier today I just happened to look at an old spreadsheet of mine comparing what I carried on the first two editions of the YD300. In 2015 I had 10kgs of bags, kit, food, etc. the following year I had 5.5kgs. That’s a big difference in what I’m hefting around. My 2017 kit was 3.5kgs so even better. In all cases the kit was on the bike.

On the 2016 BB200 I used a Camelbak because there weren’t many reliable, clean water sources. So probably 50/50 in terms of bike to me.

As Colin says: decent bags don’t bounce around.

i have tried alpkit, podsac and apidura seat packs. they all bounces and swayed. and i dont pack heavy.
on jennride this year, i had a softee kip bag on the bars and a hunka and a duro in the alpkit seat pack. on the descents i couldnt get my arse over the back because the bag was in the way.

but when i had the jones i had a custom wildcat bag made to fill the whole frame space. that was ace. that is what i need. everything fit in it.

The best seatpack system I’ve used is Wildcat’s but I’ve not tried any of the Revelate models. Unfortunately Wildcat stopped production earlier this year but they are starting up again shortly – wildcat.cc

I use a frame bag, it’s superb because it has no effect on the c.o.g
I use a bar bag and seat pack too, but i hear what you’re saying re:swaying etc, it’s definitely a thing.
I use a backpack sometimes too, but try to keep heavier stuff in the frame bag.
I am a bimbler though . .

As above, straightforward all on bike, techy most on back.

Biggest issue is fitting a 4 season sleeping bag anywhere for this time of year…

Biggest issue is fitting a 4 season sleeping bag anywhere for this time of year…

That’s what racks are for 😉

Combo of smallish frame/seat/bar bags and a bum bag for 2 season bikepacking. Panniers and a frame bag for 3/4 season stuff.

Bum bag and panniers don’t make your back sweaty. Innit?

Lots of backpack users – https://bearbonesbikepacking.co.uk/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=11113

I prefer a rucksack, no way would I want to add bags & weight to the bike. I’ve never been bikepacking but when I ride a 15-18mile off road commute through twisty undulating singletrack a rucksack makes sense. I wouldn’t want it too heavy mind, with my spare clothing, PC & power supply, lock and other bits and pieces I have to have to carry it weighs about 6-7kg – an extra stone. That’s enough for me to carry but I’m a titch and only weigh 9.5st at the most anyway.

I’ve never been bikepacking but when I ride a 15-18mile off road commute through twisty undulating singletrack a rucksack makes sense.

Different scenario completely then.

Bikepacking bagsfor me. Minimum weight on back makes life nicer. I’ve got an Ortlieb seatpost pack that has virtually no sway. Can’t drop your arse over but it’s all a compromise in some way.

Back in the day I used to use a rear rack for tent and rucksack together on the Polaris events. These days I use bike packing bags but can see your point rear saddle and bar bags.

For a couple of days I’d choose a rucksack, because it’s easy to take it with you while you are shopping or have a meal somevhere. But a bikepack bag you need to take off/on all the time you need to leave your bike. Moreover,as a rule, rucksack is more spacious than bike bags.
As for me, it’s just uncomfortable for me to ride with that bags.

For a couple of days I’d choose a rucksack, because it’s easy to take it with you while you are shopping or have a meal somevhere. But a bikepack bag you need to take off/on all the time you need to leave your bike.

Nah. I never do. I see lots of laden bikes outside shops, cafes, pubs etc.

I don’t like having a rucksack on while riding, but if you are used to it, and it won’t be much heavier than normal, then crack on.

Normally I have a smallish bumbag, plus a bar bag/top tube bag. Depends how much kit you need to take though.

I have done both, and I agree it’s fully scenario dependant. I do it like this:

Proper Offroad: Half Framebag and Top Tube Bag with backpack
Gravel/Tame Trails: Full framebag, seatpost bag and top tube bag with a Camelbak bumbag
Road: As per gravel but with half frame bag