Nice little introduction to Bike Packing/Touring. You really hit the nail on the fact that all you need is a bike. You probably already own all the other gear already. A lot of people think you have to buy a bunch of stuff to go touring/packing, but the best thing is just to grab whatever you got and get out there! Would really love to see some touring videos in the future.
Yes please, more "Bikepacking"! New term to me. I have been doing this sort of thing since I got my first mountain bike, '88 Stumpjumper (when it was new). Got racks, panniers, many different bags... Building up a couple of old mountain bikes as projects over this winter. Just love being outdoors in the wilderness!
Agreed, nice to mix things up. Here in upstate NY every July there is an organized ride along the 400 miles of the Erie Canal. Did it twice and loved it. Rails to Trails offers millions of people the opportunity to travel thosands of miles of flat well maintained cycling/hiking trails near their homes. The possibilities are endless from camping, to hotels, to B&B's. And like you said, fall is a fantastic time to ride. Thanks for inspiring us.
After losing a lot of weight I was into hiking (still am). That led to trail running which led to mountain biking which led to road biking. Now I have two bikes and more shoes than my wife (almost). I love the verity in my workouts now. So no matter what you do I'll watch.
I've only ever been on 2 bikepacking trips but I loved both of them- both were great examples of how expensive gear isn''t necessary. One trip was a 2-day trip of the Mountain Loop Highway in WA state- I used my old Novara Aspen. I use that bike primarily for commuting/grocery shopping- I live in a big city without a car, so it had a rack on the back with a milk crate for groceries. After packing it full of gear it was a little top-heavy, but it does the job. My second trip was part of a biking/backpacking adventure in Anchorage with my girlfriend- we were balling on a budget for 10 days, so we rented bikes and set forth south along Highway 1 with rented bikes and our frame packs on our backs. The extra weight caught the wind and made our butts hurt like nothing else, and I'm sure we frustrated a fair amount of traffic, but it was a blast- we hid the bikes in thickets at trailheads and hiked up for the night. Would nicer gear have been appreciated? Sure. Was it necessary? No! Also, props to Pablo's Bike Rentals in Anchorage. Pablo is a great dude with good bikes and a fantastic sense of humor.
I actually started following this channel because I wanted information about bike touring. Like you've covered, the gear is interchangeable for the most part! I'm glad you're revisiting this content for your channel. Best of luck!
Did an amazing tour around the perimeter of Michigan's Upper Peninsula back in 2012. Always called it bike touring. Anyway, I've always told people it's the best way to travel and hope someone reading this gives it a shot. Incredible memories!
Back in 2018 I was inspired by this channel to hike the AT , followed up in 2019 with the PCT and watching this video has inspired me for a round 3 on the roads next year, Keep it up Darwin!
I got into bike-touring decades ago because it seemed so much easier than walking with all my crap! For my first ride I went from Sweden to Istanbul. Just like your Arizona ride, things didn't always go the way that they were supposed to, but i made it. Didn't carry a stove or proper tent, but did carry photocopies of articles on how to fix a flat. Now I'm on UA-cam learning about how to be a backpacker.
Bike packing is the bomb. I rode from Canada to Mexico with my friend and it was an epic adventure. We took it slow but was still a very challenging trip. Highly recommend bike packing to anyone.
Yes, love the bike packing content. Looking at other comments I’ve been following Path Less Pedaled too. Bike packing gear, favorite rides in the northwest, how to get your spouse into bike packing, tools you take for an adventure...Please keep the bike content coming!
Decently new to the channel and glad to see some bikepacking content. I did a tour of Scotland from Glasgow>Inverness>Edinburgh and it was incredible. I just bought a rack, panniers and went. I haven't stopped since and have Italy planned in 2020 Florence>Rome>Naples. Your UL budget gear videos were a massive help in shedding the weight without breaking the bank and I've learned a ton of camping hacks by watching. Never going stoveless though! Thanks for the new content and excited to see more in the future. Until then, see you on the trail.
YES! Bags, handlebars, saddles, tires... reviews, also how to pack, what to get, and how to make setup for night. I am especially interested how to use the same thing in several different ways -- for example, you can get bar extender to attach the flashlights and smartphone, but since the extender is just a piece of pipe you can store there spare spokes. Inside seat tube one can store spare skewers. Recently I watched how to store tools inside wheel skewers or in head tube, this is crazy, but if you need to pack tightly... So in short, how to get organized with best gear which does not weight ton. My only NO goes for "interesting places" because usually for good portion of viewers this will be just a theory.
Where I live in Western Australia, we have this forest bike trail called the Munda Biddi which is so cool. It’s 1000 km (620 miles) from Perth all the way to Albany on the south coast. It has free shelters with water tanks to camp at every night on the track, and about every 4-5 days you ride through a small town where you can resupply and find somewhere with a bed to stay for a night. Lots of people do it as a “through ride” but I’m doing it in sections on my mountain bike. Nothing better than riding through nature. Next time you’re in Australia check it out! 😊
Love this! Whether it’s Backpacking, Bikepacking or whatever, the method might be different, but it’s all the same. Ultimately, it’s all about the outdoor adventure~
Thank You for this video!!! I had a major surgery on my foot which eliminates hiking. But all the hiking gear I had accumulated over the years was exactly what I needed for multi day rides. Plus you can carry those 1 or 2 items extra that you wouldn’t take hiking to make it more enjoyable
I have two passions. Biking & Hiking. Lately i have been leaning more towards the biking. By strapping on some panniers & bags, I like that i can combine biking & hiking. So yeah...more videos like this Darwin! 🚵♀️👍🏼
Darwin, I think many of us probably already enjoy both bikepacking and backpacking. I seems that there are far fewer creators addressing the bikepacking aspects. This type of content is certainly a welcome addition to your channel;. Thank you!
My wife and I are cycling tourists, or that's generally how we vacation. We started watching your changed because we have been thinking of mixing things up. There are tons of options for all kinds of bike packing gear. Much is commercially available but there is so much more offered built to order. It would be fun to see your spin on this ever growning aspect of cycling
I have been bike touring since 1979 have used panniers mostly & serval trips with cargo trailers “BOB “ & Burly” I have returned to panniers on the front and rear Of the bike its a lighter more comfortable system to handle .I got my base weight ,bike,racks bags and gear down to 60lbs .A friend & I did a 175 mile 4 day trip in southern Ohio last week had a lot fun and it was close to home. Please do more cycling videos your hiking videos have been a great deal of help to me in setting up a lighter more efficient touring bike Thanks & God Bless
Nice video topic, I've been using the Ibera IB-BA11 PakRak Commuter Bag with the aluminum IB-RA11 rack for a nearly a decade. It's light weight and got a quick clip on system for the bag to attach to the rack. I've been in trails bikepacking and commute to work 5 days a week with it and its never let me down. Its got a good amount of pockets and rigging points and can fit a change of clothes, my lunch, a AM/FM bluetooth radio, small flashlight, headlamp, extra batteries, tire tube, tube repair kit, bear spray, bike lube and many hand tools to take care of 99% of my issues on trail and its tight but all fits. There is a weight limitation of 22lbs because its hanging off the seat post but I've thrashed it around full of stuff, off curbs in town and bumpy trails and its never broken. Great thing is the bag has a hard base and any wet splashing off the back tire hits that bottom and doesn't penetrate the bag. The rack is unique where it attaches to the seat post only, so I can swap the whole thing off for my racing seat which I have on another seat post if I'm doing any really difficult technical trails at high speed. I have a cheap front bag and a small frame bag that are nothing special but do the job if I want but I usually only need to use the Ibera system as a trunk.
Totally with what you said at the end, just start off using what you have. I started off in the Netherlands with just a standard sit-up-and-beg old school Dutch bike with no gears and backpedal brakes, which had a big plastic crate on the front on a rack when I bought it, and a rack on the back. Added some 20 Euro panniers and went wild camping, which is illegal in most of the Netherlands so I went stealthy lol.
Love it..I have traveled by bike, all road, for years. Have used a trailer Bob Yak, and paniers .It's a great adventure, my longest was from Michigan City IN to Mariana FL aprox 1000 mi. I encourage everyone to give it a try. The gear has gotten a lot lighter and much better. Ride on....
yes, more please! ive used your videos to gather gear for some of my bike packing adventures and hikes. it would be great to see more of these types of videos
I am literally days away from moving to Colorado bikepacking and bike camping is something I am really interested in. Thanks for the video I found it very useful
Yes to more bikepacking info please, with an initial focus on bags and gear. I'm coming from a kayaking camping and day mountain biking background so my current camping gear tends to the heavy side and my biking skills tend to single track. Finding a middle ground interests me!
I only ever found this channel because of it's earlier bikepacking content, but I'm really glad I did. At the time, I didn't even hike very often. There's so much crossover between bikepacking gear and ultralight hiking gear and I was able to learn a lot from Darwin's hiking videos that could be applied to bikepacking rides. Then, I realized that I was only a bag and some poles away from being an ultralight hiker, so that was a sweet revelation...
MORE, MORE, MORE! Until I discovered your channel years ago, I didnt know it was such a thing. I've always enjoyed riding a bike but never do! Touring rural Kentucky roads by bike sounds like a wonderful adventure!
Already there, thousands of miles of gravel roads around me. I am in north east WYOMING and I am looking at gravel touring only to Canada through WY-MT . One part of my planning is connecting public lands, refuges and state parks to facilitate easy camping. OMG. The funky diners and roadhouses out there you don’t get with hiking.
Old MiyAta com-moly triple buted frame with shimano gear set Two 18 dollar Wal-Mart day packs for backrack panniers and a laptop shoulder bag for electronics (top rear) a fanny pack draped around my drops handlebars which are turned up like goats horns. Got a couple of dry bags to replace the backpacks though hanging them is a bit of a puzzle for the moment. It's my only transport so I use it for everything. I really enjoy your channel. You'll see me watching from the future, lol, maybe hear me too if I think really loud.
For some of us older backpackers, our knees can no longer handle going downhill. Bikepacking is great alternative! The last 2 seasons wifey and I have done bikepacking, on fatbikes, for our holidays and it has been an adventure. Give it a try!
I'd like to see more bikepacking stuff. I have a 29 inch mountain bike that was used for a daily commute to/from work and a bit of stealth camping in an area that is now a housing estate. I also did grocery shopping on the bike so It has a pannier rack, 2 pannier bags, a large basket mounted on the rack with a fitted cooler bag (it came as a set with brackets). So the bike can cart a lot of stuff. I don't ride with large/heavy back pack on pedal or motor bike, I have a water pack that holds 2 litres of water and some small light weight stuff in its pockets. The fame is an odd shape so I can't fit one of those slim bags there but I have 2 water bottle holders that take bottles in the 750-900ml range. Its not a light weight bike compared to a cyclo-cross/gravel bike but I got the mountain bike because I am hard on bikes and it has a front suspension fork, with hydraulic lock for fast road riding. And it came with flat bars. Depending on where you will be riding, you may want to consider some tyre liners to reduce punctures ( www.pushys.com.au/mr-tuffy-ultra-lite-tyre-liners-purple.html ).
Great video, Darwin! I love both backpacking and bike packing. A friend and I biked the Great Allegheny Passage (the GAP rail trail) this past May. We rode 150 miles from Pittsburgh to Cumberland, Md. It was one of the best times I've ever had! I prefer rail trails to every other type of riding because there are no cars and idiot drivers to deal with. After a tune up a proper set of tires is probably the most important thing to do.
I bought a bike a couple years ago. And set it up for bike packing. Just haven't gone yet. This is was really helpful!! Definitely interested in content like this!
Hey Darwin, always love your videos! Great info on bikepacking. At 67 years old I'm doing the entire east coat of Florida next month. Excellent video. Keep them coming!!
Definitely lets us beginners know good places you know of. Me, how about Southern California in Los Angeles and further south like the South Bay. I know we have Palos Verdes but there's a lot of hikers that are on foot there and I wouldn't want to be obtrusive if I'm riding a bike. so I guess it's just places that might focus more on those who want to start bike packing. Thanks Darwin great videos.
I love bikes and backpacking and would love your take on bike packing. I think your thru hiking experience would give you an expertise and insight not currently available. Your nice mix of gear reviews and willingness to think outside the box is very useful. Keep it coming!
That is what I will be doing very soon, but I carry my gear in extra large axiom Seymour oceanweave pannier bags, a 15liter water resistant tote on top of them on the rear rack and a front handlebar bag, and to carry 1 gallon of water split in half for each side of my front fork (anything cage, installed onto 3 water bottle mounts on fork) My total weight (in which I also take my pet) comes to about 68lbs. I would advise to try and keep all necessary cargo when bike packing under 50lbs. Less is more when bike packing or bike touring; only the essentials are needed.
I would like to see more bike packing that's how I found you awhile back. I don't hike but ride bikes all the time. I want to get into bike packing. Love anything to do with camping. Great video 👍
In 2017 we were driving to Jackson Hole,WY from Idaho. At the top of an 8k’ mountain to take pics of Jackson we meet a 27 yr old guy on a bike who had just created the hill (doing a cross country bike ride). We talked for 25 minutes about his ride and he stunned me when he said he passed a 60* yr old couple heading west from the east coast on their bikes!!!
You were ahead of the trend when you tried to make this a bikepacking channel. The trend has come around big the last two years. It means a lot of great options and gear for those of who’ve been waiting for better stuff.
I've been thinking about getting into bikepacking but I thought I'd have to spend a lot of money on a purpose built bike and bags, but you've inspired me to try and go out with (mostly) what I already have. I'm totally gonna do it next spring!
I'd love any bike camping content. I actually started watching your channel because of all the gear crossover between bike-camping and hiking. You're why I love Couscous as the ideal camping food ;)
When I was planning for my 2017 attempt to bikepack the Colorado Trail, I was looking for videos on bikepacking. This is how I came across you channel in the first place. I think you should do some more.
Be warned. It can be inexpensive but there is always that next upgrade. How about a bike made of steel? How about titanium? How about a trail bike? How about a drop bar bike. Maybe I only have a day to bike and I should get a gravel bike. I am getting older, maybe an electric mountain bike. I need to fix bikes on the trail. Time to get some tools. You know what this is not bad. I will get more tools to do my own maintenance. I want to bike with kids. Time to get a cargo bike. Oh tout terrain streamliner looks cool. $1400? I needs gopro to film my adventures. I think I need a bike fit. I need to install a hitch for my bike. Oh the clearance is only 1 foot. I need an SUV. My computer can’t handle 4k video editing. I need a new iMac. Biking specific clothes are so comfy. I need a few pairs. Oh I need to gear up my kids too. Wife is interested too. There is no room in the garage for all the bikes. Maybe I should get a bigger house. Okay I have a problem.
keep those bike packing/touring videos coming, its nice to change it up, even a quick one nighter adventure video would have a lot of information for people interested in checking it out
I started bike packing in 1982. Back then the gear was a bit crude but there were no rules. You could bike pack anywhere. The national parks had no bike restrictions. I bike packed in Jasper, Banff and I even tried the famous West Coast Trail. The downside of no regulation was that I ended up on a lot of trails that were really unsuitable for bike packing. I eventually switched to conventional bike touring.
When I was biking I bought a simple bike rack that went over the back tire. Then I used bungie cords to strap my backpack down to it. It works amazingly well, but tuck the straps away, tie them up and strap them down! Seriously do at least all three otherwise you could have a stap fly into your wheel.
Love the videos! I am new to biking in general, but really want to get into bikepacking. I would love more content on overnight stays, gear, and any/all tips on how to plan a trip.
Ironically, I discovered your channel in 2016 when I was searching for bike packing info. I also section hike the AT so the rest of your videos were cool for me too. Looking forward to your new videos!
Brother I'm a huge fan of bike packing and miss your old videos about it , you should def do more videos on tools and budget friendly items and gear like u said it's all connected to hiking
Hey Darwin!! I’m actually starting to build up gear and am planning to start backpacking thanks to your channel!!! Just wanted to say thank you for putting out these Videos!!!
Hey Darwin, as mentioned in your previous video on this subject, do more of these videos. I did my first bike packing trip this summer, down Oregon coast highway 101. A fantastic ride, state parks have group hiker biker camps. Kiosks to charge electronics, lock valuables, etc. Met some great people. Had to miss pct days in the gorge as a result of this trip.
Great stuff. The new gear gets rid of the need for racking up your bike like a trekking mule! Plus, a lot of ultralight backpacking gear can be used on bikepacking.
I too would love to see more bikepacking content! Your channel has inspired my backpacking gear which has also crossed over well for bikepacking as well.
I really like bikepacking (have only done it a few times though)..! I use 2 kinda big rear paniards on my MTB (had to drill holes in the frame for the rear rack), and even in just 1 of them, i have room for my Zpacks Duplex tent, 2 sleeping bags (1 down, and 1 really thin synthetic that i use as a liner), my inflateable sleeping pad, and my Trangia 25-series cooking set. When i backpack, i want as lightweight as possible - but for bikepacking, im a bit more "liberal", and will probably bring my hammock in addition to the tent.
Love it! More please. Bikepacking is so fun! I'm trying to figure out how to fit my bike into my pack for my 2020 AT thru. Everyone deserves a luxury item :)
Actually MTBing allowed me to find a bunch of trails in the DFW area. After a back injury, I started hiking said trails, which led to overnight backpacking and watching Darwin videos to figure it all out👍 I love this topic and want to learn more. I would like to see how you pack your bike. Where you place your shelter/sleep system, food, gear, ect... on the bike. Also the advantages/disadvantages of the different types of bags, which you touch on a little here. Thank you for all you do!!!!
Yeah, I like both! I’ve done a reasonable amount of backpacking and a few overnight Bikepacking trips, like you said it make long dirt roads and tarmac more interesting .
Anything about bikepacking would be good. I've been doing short bike rides over the summer. I would love to adventure more and go farther and would greatly appreciate any information on biking, including maintenance/tune-ups, the best equipment, long distance bike trails, etc.
Thank you for this! I love cycling, and also love backpacking and camping. I've struggled to find a balance between these two types of activities, and had started to get interested in the idea of bikepacking as an activity that probably would be right up my alley!
Super into learning more about this from you! As much as I want to do some through hikes, but I just don't know how to make the time investment work. This would cut that time down significantly, so I would be much more likely to explore these trails by bike. Off the bat, some things I'd be interested in hearing more about would be related to what restrictions some of the bigger trails would have on biking, what benefits different types of bikes have over one another and how to make a pre-existing bike work when investing in another might not be an option, what one should keep in mind when it comes to packing a bike in terms of balance, what extra gear should be brought along that is bike-specific (patch kits, tools, etc.) and how to get the most out of one's gear rather than buying a bunch of extra stuff that is bike specific (for example, getting a flashlight mount for the bike rather than a bike-light, etc.). Pretty stoked that you posted this, man. Thank you! I'll look for those older videos, too.
Definitely make more vids! How-to's, different trails to ride, and tips/tricks. Next spring I'll be hitting the trail with my new bike and since you are my go to for backpacking tips it only makes sense for me lol. Rock on🤙
Love the bike packing content Darwin. Just started setting up for bike packing this past summer. I've got a ride planned for the spring. Keep em coming!
Would love to see more! You’ve got me started into hiking which I love and am starting my planning for the pinhoti. But I’ve also been trying to get into biking a bit more as well! Would love to see more videos in depth for sure!
van life, bike life. hiking life its all fun to watch
🤙🤙🤙
"... I figured you guys wouldn't be in it ..." Someday you will figure out that it's the person we come to see and the content is the bonus.
Had to laugh out loud. You're right! But Darwin does provide some fine bonuses.
Thirsty.
@@123bambam4 Darwin looked well-hydrated to me.
😂 My Next Video will just be 15 Mins of me staring at the Camera. No Words. No Music... JUST ME! 😂
@@DarwinOnthetrail Do it, I dare ya. My favorite French comedian did the same for me. ua-cam.com/video/1AIYwv4J7tg/v-deo.html
Nice little introduction to Bike Packing/Touring. You really hit the nail on the fact that all you need is a bike. You probably already own all the other gear already. A lot of people think you have to buy a bunch of stuff to go touring/packing, but the best thing is just to grab whatever you got and get out there! Would really love to see some touring videos in the future.
Yes please, more "Bikepacking"! New term to me. I have been doing this sort of thing since I got my first mountain bike, '88 Stumpjumper (when it was new). Got racks, panniers, many different bags... Building up a couple of old mountain bikes as projects over this winter. Just love being outdoors in the wilderness!
Agreed, nice to mix things up. Here in upstate NY every July there is an organized ride along the 400 miles of the Erie Canal. Did it twice and loved it. Rails to Trails offers millions of people the opportunity to travel thosands of miles of flat well maintained cycling/hiking trails near their homes. The possibilities are endless from camping, to hotels, to B&B's. And like you said, fall is a fantastic time to ride. Thanks for inspiring us.
After losing a lot of weight I was into hiking (still am). That led to trail running which led to mountain biking which led to road biking. Now I have two bikes and more shoes than my wife (almost). I love the verity in my workouts now. So no matter what you do I'll watch.
I've only ever been on 2 bikepacking trips but I loved both of them- both were great examples of how expensive gear isn''t necessary. One trip was a 2-day trip of the Mountain Loop Highway in WA state- I used my old Novara Aspen. I use that bike primarily for commuting/grocery shopping- I live in a big city without a car, so it had a rack on the back with a milk crate for groceries. After packing it full of gear it was a little top-heavy, but it does the job.
My second trip was part of a biking/backpacking adventure in Anchorage with my girlfriend- we were balling on a budget for 10 days, so we rented bikes and set forth south along Highway 1 with rented bikes and our frame packs on our backs. The extra weight caught the wind and made our butts hurt like nothing else, and I'm sure we frustrated a fair amount of traffic, but it was a blast- we hid the bikes in thickets at trailheads and hiked up for the night. Would nicer gear have been appreciated? Sure. Was it necessary? No!
Also, props to Pablo's Bike Rentals in Anchorage. Pablo is a great dude with good bikes and a fantastic sense of humor.
I actually started following this channel because I wanted information about bike touring. Like you've covered, the gear is interchangeable for the most part! I'm glad you're revisiting this content for your channel. Best of luck!
I’d love to see more bike packing content! I really appreciate it 💕 🚲
Did an amazing tour around the perimeter of Michigan's Upper Peninsula back in 2012. Always called it bike touring. Anyway, I've always told people it's the best way to travel and hope someone reading this gives it a shot. Incredible memories!
I'm just getting started with bike packing, after 45+ years of road cycling. Yes, please, more bike packing content.
Back in 2018 I was inspired by this channel to hike the AT , followed up in 2019 with the PCT and watching this video has inspired me for a round 3 on the roads next year, Keep it up Darwin!
I have been biking or hiking for years. Combining the two is just evolution!
Thanks for your content.
I got into bike-touring decades ago because it seemed so much easier than walking with all my crap! For my first ride I went from Sweden to Istanbul. Just like your Arizona ride, things didn't always go the way that they were supposed to, but i made it. Didn't carry a stove or proper tent, but did carry photocopies of articles on how to fix a flat. Now I'm on UA-cam learning about how to be a backpacker.
Bike packing is the bomb. I rode from Canada to Mexico with my friend and it was an epic adventure. We took it slow but was still a very challenging trip. Highly recommend bike packing to anyone.
Yes, love the bike packing content. Looking at other comments I’ve been following Path Less Pedaled too. Bike packing gear, favorite rides in the northwest, how to get your spouse into bike packing, tools you take for an adventure...Please keep the bike content coming!
Decently new to the channel and glad to see some bikepacking content. I did a tour of Scotland from Glasgow>Inverness>Edinburgh and it was incredible. I just bought a rack, panniers and went. I haven't stopped since and have Italy planned in 2020 Florence>Rome>Naples. Your UL budget gear videos were a massive help in shedding the weight without breaking the bank and I've learned a ton of camping hacks by watching. Never going stoveless though! Thanks for the new content and excited to see more in the future. Until then, see you on the trail.
YES! Bags, handlebars, saddles, tires... reviews, also how to pack, what to get, and how to make setup for night. I am especially interested how to use the same thing in several different ways -- for example, you can get bar extender to attach the flashlights and smartphone, but since the extender is just a piece of pipe you can store there spare spokes. Inside seat tube one can store spare skewers. Recently I watched how to store tools inside wheel skewers or in head tube, this is crazy, but if you need to pack tightly... So in short, how to get organized with best gear which does not weight ton. My only NO goes for "interesting places" because usually for good portion of viewers this will be just a theory.
Where I live in Western Australia, we have this forest bike trail called the Munda Biddi which is so cool. It’s 1000 km (620 miles) from Perth all the way to Albany on the south coast. It has free shelters with water tanks to camp at every night on the track, and about every 4-5 days you ride through a small town where you can resupply and find somewhere with a bed to stay for a night. Lots of people do it as a “through ride” but I’m doing it in sections on my mountain bike. Nothing better than riding through nature. Next time you’re in Australia check it out! 😊
Love this! Whether it’s Backpacking, Bikepacking or whatever, the method might be different, but it’s all the same. Ultimately, it’s all about the outdoor adventure~
Thank You for this video!!!
I had a major surgery on my foot which eliminates hiking. But all the hiking gear I had accumulated over the years was exactly what I needed for multi day rides. Plus you can carry those 1 or 2 items extra that you wouldn’t take hiking to make it more enjoyable
I have two passions. Biking & Hiking. Lately i have been leaning more towards the biking. By strapping on some panniers & bags, I like that i can combine biking & hiking. So yeah...more videos like this Darwin! 🚵♀️👍🏼
Darwin, I think many of us probably already enjoy both bikepacking and backpacking. I seems that there are far fewer creators addressing the bikepacking aspects. This type of content is certainly a welcome addition to your channel;. Thank you!
My wife and I are cycling tourists, or that's generally how we vacation. We started watching your changed because we have been thinking of mixing things up. There are tons of options for all kinds of bike packing gear. Much is commercially available but there is so much more offered built to order. It would be fun to see your spin on this ever growning aspect of cycling
I have been bike touring since 1979 have used panniers mostly & serval trips with cargo trailers “BOB “ & Burly” I have returned to panniers on the front and rear Of the bike its a lighter more comfortable system to handle .I got my base weight ,bike,racks bags and gear down to 60lbs .A friend & I did a 175 mile 4 day trip in southern Ohio last week had a lot fun and it was close to home. Please do more cycling videos your hiking videos have been a great deal of help to me in setting up a lighter more efficient touring bike Thanks & God Bless
It's great to find you.yes more bike packing adventures! Live in Flagstaff area over 43yrs and love cycling!
Nice video topic, I've been using the Ibera IB-BA11 PakRak Commuter Bag with the aluminum IB-RA11 rack for a nearly a decade. It's light weight and got a quick clip on system for the bag to attach to the rack. I've been in trails bikepacking and commute to work 5 days a week with it and its never let me down. Its got a good amount of pockets and rigging points and can fit a change of clothes, my lunch, a AM/FM bluetooth radio, small flashlight, headlamp, extra batteries, tire tube, tube repair kit, bear spray, bike lube and many hand tools to take care of 99% of my issues on trail and its tight but all fits. There is a weight limitation of 22lbs because its hanging off the seat post but I've thrashed it around full of stuff, off curbs in town and bumpy trails and its never broken. Great thing is the bag has a hard base and any wet splashing off the back tire hits that bottom and doesn't penetrate the bag. The rack is unique where it attaches to the seat post only, so I can swap the whole thing off for my racing seat which I have on another seat post if I'm doing any really difficult technical trails at high speed. I have a cheap front bag and a small frame bag that are nothing special but do the job if I want but I usually only need to use the Ibera system as a trunk.
I found a video that shows it, this is exactly what I have. ua-cam.com/video/rd00nE9Zr_8/v-deo.html
Thank you for listening to us who asked you for this kind of content!
Waiting to see more bikepacking over here!
Congrats!
Totally with what you said at the end, just start off using what you have. I started off in the Netherlands with just a standard sit-up-and-beg old school Dutch bike with no gears and backpedal brakes, which had a big plastic crate on the front on a rack when I bought it, and a rack on the back. Added some 20 Euro panniers and went wild camping, which is illegal in most of the Netherlands so I went stealthy lol.
Don’t know how I missed this video. Please more bike packing. Been mountain biking for a while and want to start bikepacking/backpacking more.
Love it..I have traveled by bike, all road, for years. Have used a trailer Bob Yak, and paniers .It's a great adventure, my longest was from Michigan City IN to Mariana FL aprox 1000 mi. I encourage everyone to give it a try. The gear has gotten a lot lighter and much better. Ride on....
I vote for more bikepacking videos. I've recently gotten into it and I've almost forgotten about backpacking. I love it.
TOTALLY in to the idea of some more bikepacking content, I actually just purchased some bags in the past few weeks
I actually started watching your channel BECAUSE I was considering bikepacking and your hiking gear advice was a great crossover. :)
yes, more please! ive used your videos to gather gear for some of my bike packing adventures and hikes. it would be great to see more of these types of videos
I am literally days away from moving to Colorado bikepacking and bike camping is something I am really interested in. Thanks for the video I found it very useful
Yes to more bikepacking info please, with an initial focus on bags and gear. I'm coming from a kayaking camping and day mountain biking background so my current camping gear tends to the heavy side and my biking skills tend to single track. Finding a middle ground interests me!
Yes, more bikepacking content! This is the dream evolution for your channel, for me.
I only ever found this channel because of it's earlier bikepacking content, but I'm really glad I did. At the time, I didn't even hike very often. There's so much crossover between bikepacking gear and ultralight hiking gear and I was able to learn a lot from Darwin's hiking videos that could be applied to bikepacking rides. Then, I realized that I was only a bag and some poles away from being an ultralight hiker, so that was a sweet revelation...
MORE, MORE, MORE! Until I discovered your channel years ago, I didnt know it was such a thing. I've always enjoyed riding a bike but never do! Touring rural Kentucky roads by bike sounds like a wonderful adventure!
Already there, thousands of miles of gravel roads around me. I am in north east WYOMING and I am looking at gravel touring only to Canada through WY-MT . One part of my planning is connecting public lands, refuges and state parks to facilitate easy camping. OMG. The funky diners and roadhouses out there you don’t get with hiking.
Old MiyAta com-moly triple buted frame with shimano gear set
Two 18 dollar Wal-Mart day packs for backrack panniers and a laptop shoulder bag for electronics (top rear) a fanny pack draped around my drops handlebars which are turned up like goats horns.
Got a couple of dry bags to replace the backpacks though hanging them is a bit of a puzzle for the moment.
It's my only transport so I use it for everything.
I really enjoy your channel.
You'll see me watching from the future, lol, maybe hear me too if I think really loud.
For some of us older backpackers, our knees can no longer handle going downhill. Bikepacking is great alternative! The last 2 seasons wifey and I have done bikepacking, on fatbikes, for our holidays and it has been an adventure. Give it a try!
I'd like to see more bikepacking stuff. I have a 29 inch mountain bike that was used for a daily commute to/from work and a bit of stealth camping in an area that is now a housing estate. I also did grocery shopping on the bike so It has a pannier rack, 2 pannier bags, a large basket mounted on the rack with a fitted cooler bag (it came as a set with brackets). So the bike can cart a lot of stuff. I don't ride with large/heavy back pack on pedal or motor bike, I have a water pack that holds 2 litres of water and some small light weight stuff in its pockets. The fame is an odd shape so I can't fit one of those slim bags there but I have 2 water bottle holders that take bottles in the 750-900ml range.
Its not a light weight bike compared to a cyclo-cross/gravel bike but I got the mountain bike because I am hard on bikes and it has a front suspension fork, with hydraulic lock for fast road riding. And it came with flat bars.
Depending on where you will be riding, you may want to consider some tyre liners to reduce punctures ( www.pushys.com.au/mr-tuffy-ultra-lite-tyre-liners-purple.html ).
Great video, Darwin! I love both backpacking and bike packing. A friend and I biked the Great Allegheny Passage (the GAP rail trail) this past May. We rode 150 miles from Pittsburgh to Cumberland, Md. It was one of the best times I've ever had! I prefer rail trails to every other type of riding because there are no cars and idiot drivers to deal with. After a tune up a proper set of tires is probably the most important thing to do.
I live on a 360 mile bike trail, with free camping on it. It’s called the Erie Canal and it’s awesome.
YES. Bikepacking is the best. Go cycle the Camino yo! Also that gravel Kona in the thumbnail is gorgeous.
I bought a bike a couple years ago. And set it up for bike packing. Just haven't gone yet. This is was really helpful!! Definitely interested in content like this!
Hey Darwin, always love your videos! Great info on bikepacking. At 67 years old I'm doing the entire east coat of Florida next month. Excellent video. Keep them coming!!
Definitely lets us beginners know good places you know of. Me, how about Southern California in Los Angeles and further south like the South Bay. I know we have Palos Verdes but there's a lot of hikers that are on foot there and I wouldn't want to be obtrusive if I'm riding a bike. so I guess it's just places that might focus more on those who want to start bike packing. Thanks Darwin great videos.
I love bikes and backpacking and would love your take on bike packing. I think your thru hiking experience would give you an expertise and insight not currently available. Your nice mix of gear reviews and willingness to think outside the box is very useful. Keep it coming!
That is what I will be doing very soon, but I carry my gear in extra large axiom Seymour oceanweave pannier bags, a 15liter water resistant tote on top of them on the rear rack and a front handlebar bag, and to carry 1 gallon of water split in half for each side of my front fork (anything cage, installed onto 3 water bottle mounts on fork) My total weight (in which I also take my pet) comes to about 68lbs. I would advise to try and keep all necessary cargo when bike packing under 50lbs. Less is more when bike packing or bike touring; only the essentials are needed.
I would love to see more of this! As a bikepacker and backpacker, I love seeing these worlds of adventure colliding more!
I would like to see more bike packing that's how I found you awhile back. I don't hike but ride bikes all the time. I want to get into bike packing. Love anything to do with camping. Great video 👍
Just get out and do it!
In 2017 we were driving to Jackson Hole,WY from Idaho. At the top of an 8k’ mountain to take pics of Jackson we meet a 27 yr old guy on a bike who had just created the hill (doing a cross country bike ride). We talked for 25 minutes about his ride and he stunned me when he said he passed a 60* yr old couple heading west from the east coast on their bikes!!!
You were ahead of the trend when you tried to make this a bikepacking channel. The trend has come around big the last two years. It means a lot of great options and gear for those of who’ve been waiting for better stuff.
I've been thinking about getting into bikepacking but I thought I'd have to spend a lot of money on a purpose built bike and bags, but you've inspired me to try and go out with (mostly) what I already have. I'm totally gonna do it next spring!
I'd love any bike camping content. I actually started watching your channel because of all the gear crossover between bike-camping and hiking. You're why I love Couscous as the ideal camping food ;)
When I was planning for my 2017 attempt to bikepack the Colorado Trail, I was looking for videos on bikepacking. This is how I came across you channel in the first place. I think you should do some more.
Got started doing a little hiking after watch your videos. May have to start thinking about this now.
It's SOOOO FUN!
Be warned. It can be inexpensive but there is always that next upgrade.
How about a bike made of steel? How about titanium? How about a trail bike? How about a drop bar bike. Maybe I only have a day to bike and I should get a gravel bike. I am getting older, maybe an electric mountain bike.
I need to fix bikes on the trail. Time to get some tools. You know what this is not bad. I will get more tools to do my own maintenance.
I want to bike with kids. Time to get a cargo bike. Oh tout terrain streamliner looks cool. $1400?
I needs gopro to film my adventures. I think I need a bike fit. I need to install a hitch for my bike. Oh the clearance is only 1 foot. I need an SUV. My computer can’t handle 4k video editing. I need a new iMac. Biking specific clothes are so comfy. I need a few pairs. Oh I need to gear up my kids too. Wife is interested too.
There is no room in the garage for all the bikes. Maybe I should get a bigger house.
Okay I have a problem.
It's beyond me how 47 people could dislike this. Great video and advice!
keep those bike packing/touring videos coming, its nice to change it up, even a quick one nighter adventure video would have a lot of information for people interested in checking it out
I started bike packing in 1982. Back then the gear was a bit crude but there were no rules. You could bike pack anywhere. The national parks had no bike restrictions. I bike packed in Jasper, Banff and I even tried the famous West Coast Trail. The downside of no regulation was that I ended up on a lot of trails that were really unsuitable for bike packing. I eventually switched to conventional bike touring.
Thank you! Looking forward to a few trips this year. Great to see these two worlds come together.
Hi Darwin,
From Spain we would love to see some more of yor great bikepacking videos.
Thanks a lot for all the inspiration.
Love your trail vids!!!
More Bikepacking Darwin! Can’t get enough!!! I’ve got a trip planned at Big Bend State Park in November.
When I was biking I bought a simple bike rack that went over the back tire. Then I used bungie cords to strap my backpack down to it. It works amazingly well, but tuck the straps away, tie them up and strap them down! Seriously do at least all three otherwise you could have a stap fly into your wheel.
Hehe. I went on 7 hikes this summer after watching you and Dixie the last two years. I guess I need to get my bike game tuned up.
Darwin, as long as you are talking, we will be learning. Hell yes, do it!!
Yes, tell us more. I am near the Blue Ridge Parkway and New River Trail and need to be taking advantage of both.
Love the videos! I am new to biking in general, but really want to get into bikepacking. I would love more content on overnight stays, gear, and any/all tips on how to plan a trip.
Ironically, I discovered your channel in 2016 when I was searching for bike packing info. I also section hike the AT so the rest of your videos were cool for me too. Looking forward to your new videos!
Brother I'm a huge fan of bike packing and miss your old videos about it , you should def do more videos on tools and budget friendly items and gear like u said it's all connected to hiking
Hey Darwin!! I’m actually starting to build up gear and am planning to start backpacking thanks to your channel!!! Just wanted to say thank you for putting out these Videos!!!
Hey Darwin, as mentioned in your previous video on this subject, do more of these videos. I did my first bike packing trip this summer, down Oregon coast highway 101. A fantastic ride, state parks have group hiker biker camps. Kiosks to charge electronics, lock valuables, etc. Met some great people. Had to miss pct days in the gorge as a result of this trip.
Great stuff. The new gear gets rid of the need for racking up your bike like a trekking mule! Plus, a lot of ultralight backpacking gear can be used on bikepacking.
Hi , now your back on UA-cam it would be great to see more bikepacking content. Love the videos, love that your back. 👍🏼
I too would love to see more bikepacking content! Your channel has inspired my backpacking gear which has also crossed over well for bikepacking as well.
I really like bikepacking (have only done it a few times though)..! I use 2 kinda big rear paniards on my MTB (had to drill holes in the frame for the rear rack), and even in just 1 of them, i have room for my Zpacks Duplex tent, 2 sleeping bags (1 down, and 1 really thin synthetic that i use as a liner), my inflateable sleeping pad, and my Trangia 25-series cooking set.
When i backpack, i want as lightweight as possible - but for bikepacking, im a bit more "liberal", and will probably bring my hammock in addition to the tent.
Definitely interested in more bikepacking/touring videos. Always curious about navigation and route planning topics.
Love it! More please. Bikepacking is so fun! I'm trying to figure out how to fit my bike into my pack for my 2020 AT thru. Everyone deserves a luxury item :)
I am thinking of getting a Ebike to put on the back of my RV. Use it for going deeper into the wilderness or picking up groceries in a near by town.
I'm new to bikepacking but I just finished the Chief Ladiga and Silver Comet in Alabama and Georgia. Awesome ride!
I love cycling and have always wanted to bike packing and now I know what to do
Ayyyee thank you for posting this! Got this video from your newest one! Odyssey! Thank you Darwin!!!!
Actually MTBing allowed me to find a bunch of trails in the DFW area. After a back injury, I started hiking said trails, which led to overnight backpacking and watching Darwin videos to figure it all out👍 I love this topic and want to learn more. I would like to see how you pack your bike. Where you place your shelter/sleep system, food, gear, ect... on the bike. Also the advantages/disadvantages of the different types of bags, which you touch on a little here. Thank you for all you do!!!!
Yeah, I like both! I’ve done a reasonable amount of backpacking and a few overnight Bikepacking trips, like you said it make long dirt roads and tarmac more interesting .
I love all your content, when I can't get out I adventure through UA-cam
Anything about bikepacking would be good. I've been doing short bike rides over the summer. I would love to adventure more and go farther and would greatly appreciate any information on biking, including maintenance/tune-ups, the best equipment, long distance bike trails, etc.
Thank you for this! I love cycling, and also love backpacking and camping. I've struggled to find a balance between these two types of activities, and had started to get interested in the idea of bikepacking as an activity that probably would be right up my alley!
Super into learning more about this from you! As much as I want to do some through hikes, but I just don't know how to make the time investment work. This would cut that time down significantly, so I would be much more likely to explore these trails by bike. Off the bat, some things I'd be interested in hearing more about would be related to what restrictions some of the bigger trails would have on biking, what benefits different types of bikes have over one another and how to make a pre-existing bike work when investing in another might not be an option, what one should keep in mind when it comes to packing a bike in terms of balance, what extra gear should be brought along that is bike-specific (patch kits, tools, etc.) and how to get the most out of one's gear rather than buying a bunch of extra stuff that is bike specific (for example, getting a flashlight mount for the bike rather than a bike-light, etc.).
Pretty stoked that you posted this, man. Thank you! I'll look for those older videos, too.
Definitely make more vids! How-to's, different trails to ride, and tips/tricks. Next spring I'll be hitting the trail with my new bike and since you are my go to for backpacking tips it only makes sense for me lol. Rock on🤙
Hey Darwin, definitely do some more bikepacking videos. I'd be interested in seeing how you pack each of the bags.
Yeah! I’d like more of it. A great way to switch things up, yet stays with the theme of your channel. Go for it:)
Love the bike packing content Darwin. Just started setting up for bike packing this past summer. I've got a ride planned for the spring. Keep em coming!
Would love to see more! You’ve got me started into hiking which I love and am starting my planning for the pinhoti. But I’ve also been trying to get into biking a bit more as well! Would love to see more videos in depth for sure!
I’m super excited to get into bike packing. My backpacking buddy/coworker is also into bike packing and I am working on getting my bike set up!
Ahhh please do ALLLLL the bike packing videos! I just got a gravel bike last week and ready to gear it up
you should do an overnight bikepacking trip and go over all the gear for the trip and your loadout.
Ah! This is cool. I am in the mids of building my new bikepacking bike.
I encourage you to make more bike content!