But from someone who knows a thing or two.

http://normallyaspiratedhuman.com/?p=1528


Follows on from my thread on multi day food. Intresting bits of phychology as well.

Thanks

Cc

Good find that. I particularly like his bit about not stressing about weight. Being comfortable and carrying an extra kilo is not going to stop you. Saving the kilo and being uncomfortable / cold / wet / hungry will.

Bookmarked.

I wish there was a "like" on here.

Weight slowly loses its importance for me once food is taken in account, I've carried my body weight in calories and its weight that's worth it as I burn through Carbs like you wouldn't believe, base weight can double after food alone


The best quote ill always fall back on is from the great British Churchill

"If you're going through hell, keep going!"

The quickest way out of a bad situation is usually straight through.

If anyone else gets any good information about travelling faster when bikepacking post it up please.

There's lots of good stuff hidden away in the review sections

Whilst Mike says that weight is not important, I am sure he picks his kit very carefully, and goes for the right balance of cost/weight and function. The level of compromise of each of those is down to the individual, the weather, route and lots of other stuff. There's some good little hints and tips there though (as you might expect from someone who's probably spent more time than anyone else on his bike).

With regard to weight, I think it's important to remember that the aim is to make your time as comfortable as possible while carrying as little as possible. Reducing weight below a certain amount could result in you knocking on the door of 'stupidlite' but ignoring weight completely (and to a degree packsize) will usually mean that sooner or later, you're going to be kicking in the door that leads to misrerable

RE weight, I seem to know what almost every bit of my kit weighs but have never weighed my bike. The bike has to be durable, reliable, comfy and I get used to what it weights (it's not 'light', I know that .. ) but the kit I add to it has to be as minimal as I can afford or think is sensible for the conditions. Then again I'm not speed/race-focussed, just wanting to minimise the impact the kit has on my bike's handling.

It's a good blog post he wrote there. The paragraph about town-draw really stood out.

s8tannorm wrote:With regard to weight, I think it's important to remember that the aim is to make your time as comfortable as possible while carrying as little as possible. Reducing weight below a certain amount could result in you knocking on the door of 'stupidlite' but ignoring weight completely (and to a degree packsize) will usually mean that sooner or later, you're going to be kicking in the door that leads to misrerable

I totally agree with this but the only way I think you can get it right is by getting out there regularly and gaining experience.
I off road toured for years but only became enlightened to lightweight bikepacking three and a half years ago and it's taken me untill this year to find my minimum comfortable weight. I must admit the invaluable advice found on here has helped a lot .

The paragraph about town-draw really stood out.

It's strange, in a race situation 'town-draw' could cause real problems but on a general trip (which Mike obviously wasn't talking about), it's often the thing that keeps us riding ... it's like, adding a clock can completely turn things upside down

s8tannorm wrote:It's strange, in a race situation 'town-draw' could cause real problems but on a general trip (which Mike obviously wasn't talking about), it's often the thing that keeps us riding ... it's like, adding a clock can completely turn things upside down

I am very much looking forward to all the benefits and advantages of embracing town-draw in Italy in a couple of week's time : )

jameso wrote:I am very much looking forward to all the benefits and advantages of embracing town-draw in Italy in a couple of week's time : )

What you doing there?

I've recently made a (semi-serious) promise to myself to only do bikepacking events in Italy from now on.

Italy is cheap, friendly, sunny and the food is phenomenal!!!

During the Tuscany Trail every breakfast, lunch and dinner was sightly better than the last.

gairym wrote:What you doing there?

I've recently made a (semi-serious) promise to myself to only do bikepacking events in Italy from now on.

Italy is cheap, friendly, sunny and the food is phenomenal!!!

During the Tuscany Trail every breakfast, lunch and dinner was sightly better than the last.

Sounds like a good plan Gairy.. We're riding some old military roads and Giro D'Italia climbs between Turin and Nice, along the France/Italy border. Easy terrain but stunning-looking dirt roads and single-lane cols all tucked away from the Alps hotspots, lots of riding at 2000m + up, should be good.

https://fitnessinthefastlane.wordpress. ... y-forward/

For those who like a little structure in their training. Worth reading. Imo.

Cheers

C

s8tannorm wrote:With regard to weight, I think it's important to remember that the aim is to make your time as comfortable as possible while carrying as little as possible. Reducing weight below a certain amount could result in you knocking on the door of 'stupidlite' but ignoring weight completely (and to a degree packsize) will usually mean that sooner or later, you're going to be kicking in the door that leads to misrerable

Having been in both camps I have to agree

This weekend on the YD300 I'd looked at the forecast (Sat: warm and sunny, Sun: rain then sunny) and picked my kit. I think I got it just about spot on, out of all the kit I took there was only one bit, a spare cycling top, that I didn't use but also and just as importantly, there wasn't anything that I didn't take that I felt I should have. (First aid kit and bike repair stuff excepted of course)

The kit was light, until I added the food