Odd question perhaps but I'm wondering how many people own what they might consider to be an unsuitable bike for bikepacking?
I know that any bike can be pressed into service but how many folk have things like folders, shoppers, fix geared, butchers bikes, etc, etc. You know, the type of thing you wouldn't usually think about loading up and heading off for a few days on.
Yes, I appreciate that this will possibly end up as a 'what's an unsuitable bike' debate but you'll have to decide for yourself.
voodoo_simon wrote: ↑Fri Feb 21, 2020 6:09 pm
Fat bike*
yawn, knew someone would say that!
Thing is with a fat bike you get to have a smile on yer face whilst riding and you also don't feel every pebble out on the trail with the overly marketed 'gravel' bike
BAM: 2014, 2018, 2024* *Thanks to BAM adjudicators
I would say my road bike. Skinny-tyred, high-geared, what we used to call racing bikes.
My personal definition of bikepacking involves some or indeed mostly off-road riding which makes that bike totally unsuitable.
We go out into the hills to lose ourselves, not to get lost. You are only lost if you need to be somewhere else and if you really need to be somewhere else then you're probably in the wrong place to begin with.
I have a stiff road bike that is fantastic for a couple of hours, then extremely uncomfortable as I found out when some enthusiastic guys in a pub accidentally convinced me to extend a quick evening loop into a through the night epic.
It also has immaculate paint that I am ashamed to say on here that I am too precious to take it on even hard gravel, and would not want luggage rubbing on it. A rucksack midweek overnighter in summer is about as far as I would go.
I've only used two of my four for bikepacking. Other two are a surly big dummy, would be able to take loads on that, and a Brompton. Just waiting for the right trip to use that on. I know Reg has already used his but I'd like to do a multimodal trip on mine (bus, train, maybe something water based)
My Whyte S150 is most unsuitable. It's a beast. Unencumbered on the downy stuff, it's a bloody rocket and I can just about pedal it up hills as it's not quite a heavy as me fully loaded for a simple bivvy night out. But I can't imagine how grindingly unsuitable it would be with a handlebar bar, a seat bag and everything else stuffed in a back pack. Shudders emoji ...
atk wrote: ↑Fri Feb 21, 2020 8:57 pm
Where do singlespeeds count on the spectrum of suitability?
As a drive system ss can be perfectly suitable and sometimes preferable. It would be the bike rather than the gears that might be unsuitable e.g. a track bike, a jump bike, or a bmx may be considered unsuitable
We go out into the hills to lose ourselves, not to get lost. You are only lost if you need to be somewhere else and if you really need to be somewhere else then you're probably in the wrong place to begin with.
TheBrownDog wrote: ↑Fri Feb 21, 2020 9:16 pm
My Whyte S150 is most unsuitable. It's a beast. Unencumbered on the downy stuff, it's a bloody rocket and I can just about pedal it up hills as it's not quite a heavy as me fully loaded for a simple bivvy night out. But I can't imagine how grindingly unsuitable it would be with a handlebar bar, a seat bag and everything else stuffed in a back pack. Shudders emoji ...
I think I'm going to try bikepacking on my Orbea Rallon this year. Last time I was at Ben Alder Cottage I met three guys on long travel trail bikes and they've kind of inspired me. I'm thinking all my kit will be in a backpack rather than loading up the bike in the normal fashion and my emphasis will be on enjoying the descents as much as possible, I'll keep you posted as to how I get on.
TheBrownDog wrote: ↑Fri Feb 21, 2020 9:16 pm
My Whyte S150 is most unsuitable. It's a beast. Unencumbered on the downy stuff, it's a bloody rocket and I can just about pedal it up hills as it's not quite a heavy as me fully loaded for a simple bivvy night out. But I can't imagine how grindingly unsuitable it would be with a handlebar bar, a seat bag and everything else stuffed in a back pack. Shudders emoji ...
I think I'm going to try bikepacking on my Orbea Rallon this year. Last time I was at Ben Alder Cottage I met three guys on long travel trail bikes and they've kind of inspired me. I'm thinking all my kit will be in a backpack rather than loading up the bike in the normal fashion and my emphasis will be on enjoying the descents as much as possible, I'll keep you posted as to how I get on.
Oh - there are definitely routes where a FS and a rucksack are a good choice. That descent off the Bealach Dubh is on my radar, as is the descent to Glen Ling on the Afffric Kintail Way. There's a few more Munros I might attempt with my Orbea this year too.
ScotRoutes wrote: ↑Fri Feb 21, 2020 7:09 pm
I don't include compulsory off-road in my definition of bikepacking so a stiff road bike might still make the cut off.
I agree that backpacking can be road as well, it is mainly that I see my road bike as inappropriate because it is uncomfortable for long periods of time and I would not want to risk the paint job with luggage abrasion. Yes I could manufacture a trip on it, but I wouldn't want to.
I do have an old mtb come urban fixie that fits the image more, but as it was the first bike I ever bikepacked on, and I keep dreaming of taking it on an exploring trip to Copenhagen, I couldn't possibly declare it unsuitable for bikepacking.
TheBrownDog wrote: ↑Fri Feb 21, 2020 9:16 pm
My Whyte S150 is most unsuitable. It's a beast. Unencumbered on the downy stuff, it's a bloody rocket and I can just about pedal it up hills as it's not quite a heavy as me fully loaded for a simple bivvy night out. But I can't imagine how grindingly unsuitable it would be with a handlebar bar, a seat bag and everything else stuffed in a back pack. Shudders emoji ...
I think I'm going to try bikepacking on my Orbea Rallon this year. Last time I was at Ben Alder Cottage I met three guys on long travel trail bikes and they've kind of inspired me. I'm thinking all my kit will be in a backpack rather than loading up the bike in the normal fashion and my emphasis will be on enjoying the descents as much as possible, I'll keep you posted as to how I get on.
Oh - there are definitely routes where a FS and a rucksack are a good choice. That descent off the Bealach Dubh is on my radar, as is the descent to Glen Ling on the Afffric Kintail Way. There's a few more Munros I might attempt with my Orbea this year too.
I rode the Bealach Dubh on my Pinnacle Ramin with suspension forks and a dropper and it was pretty good fun, it'd be a blast with full sus (and a slack head angle). If I do that again I'd be conflicted whether to do an out and back from Dalwhinnie (which would be great and is what those guys did) or HAB the Bealach Bawbag to see what the descent off the other side of that is like.
I have a Brompton? It has a front bag that clips on and I adapted a rear Vaude bag/frame rack thing to be QR and work with the fold. Had ideas of travel-packing and seeing places that a folding bike might help with, ie more stops than pedalling. Maybe visiting a few cathedrals by bike and train because I like the architecture. Something like that. So not really unsuitable, but certainly erring towards the touring oddball side of it all
My old Genesis Day One SS maybe, IMAG3195 by james*o, on Flickr
This was pretty unsuitable but also good. SS drop bar all-road bikes can be the worst - undergeared on road, overgeared off road, but at the time I was riding this part-binner it was so good just twiddling around the lanes and byways.
It also did a few road 100-mile day weekenders on it with this build, also a bit silly but very nice to cruise along on.
The reason I asked the question is that I'm considering putting an event / ride together and the notion of riders doing it on 'unsuitable' bikes appeals to me. It doesn't appeal because I'm some sort of sadist but because I think it would be fun and maybe add to the element of dare I say - adventure.
A road bike you're terrified of scratching is obviously unsuitable but may not be a practical proposition in this case.
Good job I'm not easily offended 
Yep, who builds a bike without mounts...!
IMAG3195 by james*o, on Flickr
IMAG3057 by james*o, on Flickr
