bike use musing

[FLV]

I fully understand that the general consensus for ITTing / Bikepacking is to keep bike and kit as simple as you can. Rigid steel bikes being what many people use. However, things like (but not limited to) the HT550 often draw out the suspension forks for many (I know some dont) and did so for me too.

Now, I'm thinking of using my full sus bike for the next big rough / rocky trip / event. Buying a new one is out of the question and the one I have is most definitely not aimed at bikpacking.
Its not light at about 28.7lb / 13kg but not outrageous. The dropout 'chips' can be flipped to change the head angle to its steepest 68.5 and I could fit the SID forks from my other bike and set them to the required 120mm, save a sniff of weight (almost half a kilo).

I know its potentially more to go wrong, but it seems pretty reliable so far.
I'd be stuck to a camel back for water, but thats not too much of a problem as I always end up with a pack on when doing long ones.

I guess I'm just musing and wondered what people thought, must have time on my hands


Here it is in its usual set up



oh, interestingly on the CTR this year Jesse Jakomait rode a GT Sensor to the win (I think), Jefe Branham on an Ibis Ripley. Even Alan G rides a Spesh Camber.

[jam bo]

http://icelandicfatfun.blogspot.co.uk/2 ... te-up.html

I recently took my transition bandit to iceland for a 10day/650km trip, performed admirably. Only major change I made before going was to take the reverb dropper post off and put some new tyres on (Maxxis Ikon) and put some more pressure in the forks/shock. I'd happily take it again, but the only other change I'd make would probably a proper granny ring or a wider range cassette. 34-36t was hard work on some of the longer days and bigger hills. A custom frame bag to fit inside the inner triangle worked really well, other than that it was standard luggage from wildcat and alpkit. I also had a alpkit gourdon 20l rucksack but then we were aiming for at least 8 days self sufficiency. In reality we didn't need it and could have gone a bit lighter.

Fully loaded in Rekjavik



On the Kjolur

[FLV]

That trip looks a cracker pal. I'll have a proper read at lunchtime with a brew

Bandit looking good, glad to hear it worked well too
That is properly loaded up too.

[Zippy]

Now, I'm thinking of using my full sus bike for the next big rough / rocky trip / event. Buying a new one is out of the question and the one I have is most definitely not aimed at bikpacking.
Its not light at about 28.7lb / 13kg but not outrageous. .

Back in 2012 before I really knew the term "bikepacking" and knew about saddle bags etc. on a whim I went and cycled the west highland way. Used a camelbak and a 13l drybag I literally strapped onto my trek fuel Ex9. I love that bike as it's properly easy to just go over rocky stuff, perfect trail centre bike and I used it a lot for just general biking - in fact it's now my oldest iron horse of my working bike collection (although it does neet yet more bearings and the suspension re-building). Anyway, specs wise, I think mine weighs about the same and as a complete newbie I didn't find the luggage got in the way or anything.

I don't appear to have any photos online anymore of how I packed it, but here's a couple of photos to give a flavour.


Peak District (2011) by Chris Reeves, on Flickr


West Highland Way (2012) by Chris Reeves, on Flickr

[AlanG]

"Even Alan G rides a Spesh Camber"! What do you mean "even"?!

I did Highland Trail on the Camber this year and it was a very good choice for me despite weighing 13kg like yours. When you get to my age.....! There were quite a few full sus bikes on the finisher list including 2nd place, five in total think. One notably drop out due to full sus failure probably got more attention though.

[benp1]

Rigid might be the most popular, but bikepacking is either about getting out and exploring on a bike, or letting you continue the ride for that bit longer

FS bikepacking means you can do both of those so crack on

All my bikepacking has been on a hardtail, its my only MTB

[jam bo]

I should add, if I'd had to buy a bikepacking specific bike for Iceland I wouldn't have been able to afford to go.

[whitestone]

There's too many variables in all of this really. If we took the line that more technology (suspension forks; rear shock; gears) means more things to go wrong then the logical conclusion is to ride a unicycle All these parts are light weight components exposed to the elements

The biggest variable IMO is riding style - you could put two riders on the same model of bike and get them to ride the same trails and one would come back with the bike in bits and the other might look as if it had just been round the playground. On rides such as the HT550 the leaders are essentially trading time on the trail against time maintaining the bike, this year it didn't work out for Josh but that could have been for any number of reasons not all of which can be blamed on the bike.

[GregMay]

Take bike. Ride bike. Don't worry about it.

[Bearbonesnorm]

I once took my 8" travel Banshee Scream (all 47lb of it) bikepacking. At the time it was shod with 24" x 2.7" Super Tacky High Rollers, 36t ring and an 11/28 DH cassette ... it's a trip I'll likely never forget

Dee says, I should also mention that she was riding with a couple of broken ribs due to an earlier 'incident' which was in no way anything to do with me.

[Yorlin]

@Zippy - what is that backpack in your picture? Looks like a camelbak of some sort but I don't recognise the opening at the top? Possibly it's the way I'm looking at it! Asking as the padding on the back looks comfy as a pillow. :)

[Bearbonesnorm]

Can we have 'which tune is Zippy whistling' contest?

[Dave Barter]

He looks a bit "Freddy Mercury" in that picture so I'm going for "I want to be free"

[Mart]

Can we have 'which tune is Zippy whistling' contest?

I was too busy looking at the chalk on the plantation boulder - I enjoyed 'Not To Be Taken Away' if anyone understands the climbing reference

[whitestone]

I'd have been more worried/stunned if you'd just done Careless Torque (yes I do understand the climbing reference)

[Zippy]

@Zippy - what is that backpack in your picture? Looks like a camelbak of some sort but I don't recognise the opening at the top? Possibly it's the way I'm looking at it! Asking as the padding on the back looks comfy as a pillow. :)

It is a Camelbak Consigliere - it was a bit of an emergency last minute purchase for the trip as I needed a bit more space (bought it off my old man who bought it coz the colour matched his ktm motorbike ). Anyway, turned out it was brilliant for stuff like that, and did indeed double up brilliantly as a pillow A quick google found the best set of photos on STW: http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic ... on-pack-2l

Can we have 'which tune is Zippy whistling' contest?

I can't for the life of me remember, that was 4 years ago now...

[Yorlin]

Ah thanks very much :)

[FLV]

Its the elbows out race position in Zippy's pic I like most

Interesting thoughts too, thanks. I'll give it a run out loaded up to see how it feels. Although, Gregs suggestion is probably the best

Take bike. Ride bike. Don't worry about it.

[Pyro]

Take bike. Ride bike. Don't worry about it.

Amen to that.