Base weight

[benp1]

What's yours?

I like to geek it up with my kit spreadsheet. Works well for normal backpacking but I'm having to tweak it for bikepacking as I haven't yet weight my bikepacking bags and tools etc. I actually think the weight of all the little bags might be more than the weight of the rucksack I use for wildcamping

Also, what do you include in your 'base weight'. I would normally say everything that I'm not wearing permanently and isn't consumable. For bikepacking, do you include everything excluding the weight of the bike - so bike pump, inner tubes, gps, tools, bottles etc

I know this is a slightly pointless discussion as in practice in doesn't really matter, but I'd like to know nonetheless! Its messing with my ocd-esque spreadsheet

[slarge]

I include everything except water and change my mind about whether to weigh food every time.

The bags, straps, harnesses and all those bits for carrying stuff all add up - and you are right, a rucksack is probably lighter. However the rucksack is on your back and it is nice to get the weight on the bike and feel a bit more spritely.

[Bearbonesnorm]

At the WRT 'Weigh in' everything you have is included ... any external bags, water, food, etc. If it's going with you it gets weighed. I can't recall the lowest weight but I think it was around 35lb?

[Taylor]

iirc the lowest WRT weight is 31lbs.

[Dave42w]

Surely external weight should be expressed as a percentage of total weight. Otherwise those of us needing larger sizes of clothing are put at yet another disadvantage ;-)

Maybe there could be a Bikepacking handicap system. People with the same external weight as a percentage but with higher total weight have 1 hour extra per kg in the BBRT.

I might get an extra week compared to some

[Matt]

You wouldn't

[benp1]

I like the idea of total bike weight, the WRT weigh in is good fun

But the weight of my bike and the weight of consumables isn't always the same between people. And some are going to eat in the pub, whilst I like taking my own food. The base weight is a more consistent way of comparing

I like the idea of handicapping things but it gets too complicated too quickly. I'm tall so have a long sleeping bag, long bivy bag, long mat etc

Prefer to get the weight on the bike as well

My WRT weigh in was 58 pounds. Was convinced I'd be a lot lighter this time around but my bike is lighter this time round so I reckon I would be a fair bit lighter. From this point any improvements in weight will be small and expensive, unless I want to lose some luxury like my pillow, or for the FF my chair kit

[Wotsits]

Some of us have to carry extra food, just in case

...& coal

[Zippy]

I think the weight of the rider should be included

[benp1]

Ha, then I'd really be punished

I like to compare the weight against my walking stuff. The problem is that its not apples with apples, the tools and stuff don't get carried when I'm walking. But the kit is all on the bike so I'm not actually yomping it around, even on hike a bike stuff.

Still want to cut as much weight as possible


On a separate note, those of you running tubeless, how many spare inner tubes do you carry? I normally carry just 1 but took 2 on the FF. Didn't need any thankfully, but in hindsight wondering if 2 was overkill and 1 would be plenty

[Taylor]

Only ever carried one tube.

[dlovett]

I took two, one for each wheel incase of a major hole. Didn't need them or the tubeless repair stuff.