howdy,

assuming a 'normal' amount of bikepacking kit (not crazy minimal nor overly burdened) and with the aim of minimising the impact on bike handling - how do you guys distribute the weight of your kit throughout the bike???

it seems that a lot of people carry more on their bars than i had planned - what's the thinking behind this?

i was thinking that it'd affect the forks normal functioning (maybe just increasing the PSI a little would off-set this?).

up until now my bikepacking has been strictly low-tech (a hammock and tarp in a rucksack) and so now that i'm kitted-up (almost anyway) i've been thinking about what to put where and why.

anyone got any wisdom they'd like to share....?

cheers, gairy.

There'll be quite a few different points of view regarding this but IMO ... I find more weight on the front effects the handling of the bike less than if it were on the rear. In the past I've carried everything on the front of the bike and suffered no ill effects.

A frame bag can make a really big difference as you can keep quite a bit of weight centred ... which regardless of what I've just said can never be a bad thing

The worst handling I've experienced (besides a trailer with 60lb in) was with rear rack and panniers, the feeling that the 'tail is wagging the dog' can be quite unnerving

s8tannorm wrote:The worst handling I've experienced...was with rear rack and panniers, the feeling that the 'tail is wagging the dog' can be quite unnerving

Valleydaddy to the forum!

I've found much the same as Stu has - weight on the front doesn't upset the handling to any great extent, or at least it doesn't with a decent harness to strap your kit to. I do use rigid forks though, so I would definitely add a few PSI in a suspension fork to compensate for the additional weight.

Having only recently analysed the distribution of weight on my bike from my last trip, I was somewhat surprised to see how much of it is at the front. That said, I'm using a partial frame bag, so to provide a full picture of weight distribution I should also include the weight of the water in the waterbottles (1200g). If I carried my water on my back, I would have a full frame bag and the weight at the bars would be reduced as I would have more room for stuff there, closest to the centre of gravity on the bike. In either case, the saddle is usually the last place I put things.

I am here Ian

Yes I concur panniers on the rear really make riding interesting, perfect for road use no doubt, but off road it is not ideal.

drybag on the bars and one on the rear rack if you have one and a rucksack is a good start.

Then you get into the realms of frame bags which really help get the weight low, I managed to get everything on the bike for Mach N Back even my camelbak bladder was in it and it was a relevation not having a pack on my back so I will be trying to do that more often.

It all comes down to cost and how much you want to invest in bags/kit etc doesn't it?

s8tannorm wrote:A frame bag can make a really big difference as you can keep quite a bit of weight centred ... which regardless of what I've just said can never be a bad thing

that's good to hear as i recently placed my order for a wildcat gear 'leopard' full frame bag.

s8tannorm wrote:The worst handling I've experienced (besides a trailer with 60lb in) was with rear rack and panniers, the feeling that the 'tail is wagging the dog' can be quite unnerving

yeah, i've experienced this too - not nice.

Ian wrote:I do use rigid forks though, so I would definitely add a few PSI in a suspension fork to compensate for the additional weight.

Having only recently analysed the distribution of weight on my bike from my last trip, I was somewhat surprised to see how much of it is at the front. That said, I'm using a partial frame bag, so to provide a full picture of weight distribution I should also include the weight of the water in the waterbottles (1200g). If I carried my water on my back, I would have a full frame bag and the weight at the bars would be reduced as I would have more room for stuff there, closest to the centre of gravity on the bike. In either case, the saddle is usually the last place I put things.

yeah, think i'll up the PSI a bit.

i've got a large (Ortileb) seat bag which i've used once and was annoyed by how much it swung around and got in my way whilst trying to get my weight back over the back wheel on the steep/technical stuff.

valleydaddy wrote:Then you get into the realms of frame bags which really help get the weight low, I managed to get everything on the bike for Mach N Back even my camelbak bladder was in it and it was a relevation not having a pack on my back so I will be trying to do that more often.

It all comes down to cost and how much you want to invest in bags/kit etc doesn't it?

i've got at my disposal:

- Alpkit (8L) drybag (and straps to mount on bars)
- Ortileb (Large) seat bag (3L)
- Wildcat Gear Leopard (full frame bag)
- Osprey Talon 33 (33L) backpack or regular Camelbak Mule or a tiny Hydrapak bladder bag

so.....maybe i'll try and get the vast majority in the frame bag, put the bulky (but light) bits in the bar bag, use the seat bag for only light/extra bits and (if possible) only use the backpack for my bladder and a few other bits (wallet etc...)?

sound like a plan???

will have to play around a bit and see what works once my frame bag is made and the weather improves.

thanks for the input chaps!

gairy.

Usually for me-

Sleeping/clothing in 5 or 8L drybag (depending on season) on bars.
Shelter*/mat/pegs/snack-food/bike-tools/waterproof jacket/stove/fuel/sundries in frame-bag.
Water and dehydrated meals in small camelbak.


*Shelter being either tent or tarp&bivvybag.

This post is certainley opening my eyes as to how you should pack a bike!

I prefer to load the front first, ie frame + bar bag in preference to frame + seat bag.

just a rear bag makes for very interesting descending as there is not enough front wheel traction.

just a front bag makes the front wheel stay down on climbs better too.