What Bike

[Catrike16]

Hi Al,
First time poster, sorry if it’s in the wrong place.
Rediscovered my love of cycling after years gaining weight, now going the other way quite rapidly.
I have always fancied bike packing but never got round to it.
My question is, what bike would be best and are fat bikes any use?
I like the following
Trek 1120
Genesis Longitude
Brother Big Brother
Bombtrack Beyond
Something from Salsa or Surly
I fractured my wrist which gives me pain when riding so what are thoughts on a suspension fork? I use a Jones loop bar on my current bike as it gives lots of hand positions
I know it’s a personal choice but I am looking for advice on comfort and suitability.
Cheers in advance

[Lazarus]

I can only advise on what I have
Genesis Longitude
Lovely bike but rather heavy - comfy as can be and basically my winter bike - love it and great for bike packing
personally I rarely ride rigid off road and i think with a knackered wrist - you will much prefer suspension - there is a weight penalty for this choice mind

[psling]

I use a Jones loop bar on my current bike as it gives lots of hand positions

Welcome aboard

Just out of curiosity, what is your existing bike upon which the Jones bars rest? Just to evaluate it's suitability for bikepacking (although we all need more bikes).

[BordersSteve]

I'd vote for a suspension fork if you have hand or wrist issues. They really make an almighty difference offroad. Rigid with a flexy carbon/steel fork, fat tyres, soft grips etc all help but don't come close to the difference a decent suspension fork will make.

[ton]

hello, and welcome.

i have (probably ) owned more bikes that anyone on here.
and still own 2 x surly.

if i knew then what i know now, i would buy the Brother frame, and build up a bike with parts that suited me/my desired riding.
lots of complete bikes come with compromises that dont always suit.
as a start, good custom wheels, wide gears and good brakes.

[Catrike16]

I use a Jones loop bar on my current bike as it gives lots of hand positions

Welcome aboard

Just out of curiosity, what is your existing bike upon which the Jones bars rest? Just to evaluate it's suitability for bikepacking (although we all need more bikes).

Hi I have owned too many bikes to mention. My current ride is a Giant Fathom 1 It’s ok
I have owned Santa Cruz Blur LT2,
Heckler, Liked both
Scott Genius , Liked
Trek Fuel EX 9.8, Meh
Canyon Spectral Al, 29, Hated with a passion
Trek Remedy, Liked
Specialized Stumpy, good bike but always pay a premium for Spesh bikes
Still have a YT Jeffsy but it’s in the states, don’t like
My experience of buying bikes direct has never been good. Sizing alway ends up wrong despite numerous phone calls and measurements.
The Fathom is ok but I am a funny shape I have a long body and short legs so typically end up on a medium but then feel cramped, so the fathom I put a 70nm stem on and the Jones bars have a 2” rise, it’s better but not perfect. I know you can bike pack on anything but I really want something specific with wide tyres 27.5 + I really don’t like 29ers particularly.
Cheers all

[Charliecres]

It depends a lot on what you intend to do (obvs). I generally ride a rigid 29er with a 29+ front when bikepacking because it suits the sort of riding I do on those trips. But I also have a gravel bike for when there’s less bumpiness and more road in the mix.

You’ll know best what works for your wrist but if you’re planning long days I’d guess a bit of suspension might help. That said, a fat front or even 29+ goes a fair way to soaking up the small stuff IME.

I’d go for something that will take a 3in tyre up front and leaves you with the optioN to switch to rigid or suspension as suits. Thought about a Lauf?

[Catrike16]

Thanks all,
Can anyone recommend the best GPX viewer app?

[gairym]

Thanks all,
Can anyone recommend the best GPX viewer app?

I use one (appropriately) called 'GPX Viewer'.

I eventually paid for the pro version for a few useful extra features but I happily used the free version for years before that.

[jameso]

I fractured my wrist which gives me pain when riding so what are thoughts on a suspension fork? I use a Jones loop bar on my current bike as it gives lots of hand positions

Been swapping between my 29er with loop bar and a very similar bike with an old Ti H-bar recently and I've really noticed how rigid the Ti and Al loop bars are (wheels, stem, forks etc are very similar or identical between the 2 bikes). There really is no give in the loop versions. Have used a number of versions of the Jones bar over the last 10 years but I might go back to the old H bars for a bit more flex and comfort.

[Leerowe76]

Brother Big Bro i can recommend, lighter than i first imagined it would be with a good riding position. XT build with Hunt XC Wide 29 rims love mine although i was looking for and nearly went with the Genesis Longitude which again ticks lots of boxes both great bike imo

[Catrike16]

A view on fat bikes?
I have to say, I find myself strangely drawn to them

[Jurassic]

A view on fat bikes?
I have to say, I find myself strangely drawn to them

I rode one pretty much exclusively for a few years. I still have it and still love it but mainly use it in winter and when conditions are very wet/boggy now (which is quite often where I live). For bike packing I think there are better all round options (29er wheels would be top of my list) but fat bikes definitely have their place imho.

[Ray Young]

Genesis Longitude here too fitted with suss forks. I don't know how tall you are but I ride a small frame and had to fit a high rise stem to avoid the tyre contacting the bar bag when the fork compresses. As others have said, heavy but comfortable over long days.

[TheBrownDog]

Big Bro here too and very happy with it but I'd have been equally happy with a Longitude. If you want to carry loads of gear, as I tend to, and have options for racks/panniers, option to run a 100mm fork as well as replaceable sliding drop outs if you feel like single speeding or hub gears. Just a great well designed bike. Like Tony said earlier though, I kinda wish I'd just bought the frame/fork as I've replaced the bars/stem/grips, brakes, seat post and saddle, as well as having had a right arse of time setting it up tubeless. Still, one of the nicest bikes I've ever owned and a bit of a rocket downhill.

A view on fat bikes? I have to say, I find myself strangely drawn to them

I really like riding fat tyres ... not sure why as they're heavy and ponderous, bump steer and don't actually go that well in mud. I've only ever ridden in the snow once and it was brilliant. But it's fun, like many non-optimal choices it's the idiosyncrasies that make that interesting . Plus, you can always get a few wheelsets. I've got 26x4, 27.5x3 and 29x2.4 for my OnOne Fatty, which was until recently my bikepacky bike.

[Boab]

A view on fat bikes?
I have to say, I find myself strangely drawn to them

I loved my fat bike. I had a Calibre Dune, unfortunately, I cracked the frame. The only problem, other than Jumbo Jims being sub standard in the mud, was it was horribly slow on the road. I replaced it with a gravel bike, but would love another one.

[Catrike16]

Genesis Longitude here too fitted with suss forks. I don't know how tall you are but I ride a small frame and had to fit a high rise stem to avoid the tyre contacting the bar bag when the fork compresses. As others have said, heavy but comfortable over long days.

I read an article in MBR I think, that said you can’t fit a suss fork to a longitude because the frame geometry isn’t corrected for a suss fork and it screws up the handling ? Other than the odd rub have you had any other issues and what fork did you go for, if you don’t mind me asking?
I just emailed them actually, to get their opinion, I really need a suss fork with my knackered wrist I don’t think it would take the hammering from a rigid frame

[Catrike16]

A view on fat bikes?
I have to say, I find myself strangely drawn to them

I rode one pretty much exclusively for a few years. I still have it and still love it but mainly use it in winter and when conditions are very wet/boggy now (which is quite often where I live). For bike packing I think there are better all round options (29er wheels would be top of my list) but fat bikes definitely have their place imho.

Anyone with any experience of the Alpkit Sonder fat bike, I have to say I’m a carbophobe, don’t really trust carbon bikes much after my Trek Fuel EX9.8 experience

[sean_iow]

I read an article in MBR I think, that said you can’t fit a suss fork to a longitude because the frame geometry isn’t corrected for a suss fork and it screws up the handling ?

Ray can correct me if I'm wrong but I thought he had a Genesis Latitude, in fact I think he might have a High Latitude which is the 29er. This is designed for the sus fork.

I only remember as I have a Latitude the 650b version and I think it was my post in the Bargain Alert thread that pointed him to the frame. It's an old model so no longer available.

I would always choose a frame that can take a sus fork. I run my Salsa rigid most of the time but put a sus fork on when the terrain dictates.

[Ray Young]

I read an article in MBR I think, that said you can’t fit a suss fork to a longitude because the frame geometry isn’t corrected for a suss fork and it screws up the handling ?

Ray can correct me if I'm wrong but I thought he had a Genesis Latitude, in fact I think he might have a High Latitude which is the 29er. This is designed for the sus fork.

No, I have a Longitude, the first model they did with the aluminium fork.

Genesis Longitude here too fitted with suss forks. I don't know how tall you are but I ride a small frame and had to fit a high rise stem to avoid the tyre contacting the bar bag when the fork compresses. As others have said, heavy but comfortable over long days.

I read an article in MBR I think, that said you can’t fit a suss fork to a longitude because the frame geometry isn’t corrected for a suss fork and it screws up the handling ? Other than the odd rub have you had any other issues and what fork did you go for, if you don’t mind me asking?

I fitted a Rockshox Judy with 100mm of travel. I've had no problems and it handles just fine.

[boxelder]

Can anyone recommend the best GPX viewer app?

If looking to navigate on a phone, I'd say the OS subscription is totally worth the £20-25 a year it costs.
You get 1:50 and 1:25k maps of the whole of UK.
I use it as a back up though, to a Garmin etrex with OS mapping, as phone batteries don't last too long and phones are for Til-Tok and 'Garmin' the highlights and your lunch

[sean_iow]

No, I have a Longitude, the first model they did with the aluminium fork.

Sorry Ray, so have you got a Latitude as well or am I thinking of someone else didn't I once post you a bb spacer when you were building up a Latitude? Perhaps riding through the night all those times has affected me after all, the memory's gone

[Ray Young]

No, I have a Longitude, the first model they did with the aluminium fork.

Sorry Ray, so have you got a Latitude as well or am I thinking of someone else didn't I once post you a bb spacer when you were building up a Latitude? Perhaps riding through the night all those times has affected me after all, the memory's gone

Hi Sean. No I don't have a latitude but yes you did post me a spacer. It was for the Charge Cooker 29er I had at the time.

[sean_iow]

At least I remembered some of the details.

It's a shame they changed the Latitude. Mine's the older version and it's the classic double-triangle shape. It was comfortable, had a 44mm headtube so would take a tapered fork with an external lower cup, and had two sets of bottle bosses. It served me well on many events including the HT550. I only stopped riding it as I was lured away by ti and 29" wheels.

[johnnystorm]

If you have an Android phone then backcountry navigator is an excellent app. Has OS mapping at all levels alongside their foreign equivalents if you go overseas or fancy OSM alternatives. Its also a one off payment.

Sonder Frontier is definitely worth a look, you can probably order it with Suspension and plus tyres.

Fat bikes are great and perfect for certain situations and terrible in others.

Definitely have a look at Keep Pedalling http://www.keeppedalling.co.uk/ , they stock Surly and Salsa, do custom builds and have ridden everywhere so will know what will suit your plans!