What do you find in your opinion the hardest or most difficult part of the bikepacking experience?


Is it the bugs, the hills, the mud, being cold and wet, tired, having to cook or something else?


I find route planning and choice the most hardest for me. What I choosen on the computer OS mapping and what the reality is can ruin a ride. I've mixed trails with bridleways and roads. But because I've never experienced a certain area before it can be a bit hit and miss on route choice.

When I was in Shopshire I thought I had chosen some good bridleways but they turned into trackless, overgrown, none maintained and field fences/gates deliberately secured so you are unable to open them. And these were on main advertised bridleways routes.

I also don't like being too cold, I'm probably over cautious on the warm kit I take.

In terms of OS maps and any right of way, I learnt a long time ago, by experience and advice fro others, to always look what was underneath the right of way. This applies to footpaths and bridal ways.

The other aspect though, is actually, for many, the exploration of new tracks and trails is all part of the allure of bike packing. After all, you never know, the next one might be a real gem!

Drew

Perhaps oddly, I don't find any of it hard or difficult, even the seemingly crap bits are great.

Getting lost, finding yourself partway down some unridable track wondering whether you should turn round or keep going is just part of the experience ... I think you need to alter your expectations and perceptions, once you do, it all becomes good fun.

I've been wet, cold, hungry, tired, sleep deprived, bitten, dehydrated, sunburnt and injured and I can honestly say, that I can look back on each and every experience fondly.

Hi Drew, Ive no experience yet of bikepacking but plenty in RoW when I was greenlaning regularly. Not sure that i understand what you mean in your comment 'In terms of OS maps and any right of way, I learnt a long time ago, by experience and advice fro others, to always look what was underneath the right of way. This applies to footpaths and bridal ways.'
What do you mean to look 'underneath' the RoW? Visits to view the LoS and other records? Just interested thats all.

Thanks Nathan

Geograph is a huge help in scoping trail viability.

Getting out the door

Never had any type 3 fun, always 1 or 2

The 2 bits I look forward to the least though are:
Packing away camp in the morning, often CBA!
Having to get myself home having got back to the car

Midges

^^^^^^^ with nobs on... little b@stards!!!

Naffa, I think Drew means that often an OS will show a BW as a green dash ... this may or may not exist on the ground. If the OS shows the green dash overlaid on small black dashes that signify an actual track rather than simply a RoW, chances are you'll be okay.

Gari wrote:^^^^^^^ with nobs on... little b@stards!!!

Technically it's the ones without - only the females bite

Was it to ever thus!
I'll get me coat shall I?

Re packing the next day.
It all came out of those bags why wont it all go back in?

Carrying enough alcohol followed by having to ring the wife on a daily basis in order to let her know I'm ok when all I want to do is carry on riding .

Mariner wrote:Re packing the next day.
It all came out of those bags why wont it all go back in?

Eat more

Making time for it.

Sorting everything out/cleaning etc when I get home

When you divert to a shop or pub and b'stard is shut!

Mariner wrote:Re packing the next day.
It all came out of those bags why wont it all go back in?

Because you didn't pack space, always pack extra space ready to fill it out the morning afterwards.

Washing/sorting kit out after

I don't like hills (going up I mean) but sadly without them rides and scenery can be a bit boring.

Yes I know I need to MTFU

Finding stuff. I used to be proper organised and know where all my fave bits of kit were. Now I seem to spend as much time burrowing through boxes and old dry bags as I do actually riding and camping. Speaking of which, were the *^&$^%£%$£ are my y-stakes and my head torch and that little iphone trumpet thingy?

Zippy wrote:Making time for it.

This.

barney wrote:I don't like hills (going up I mean) but sadly without them rides and scenery can be a bit boring.

And this.

Hardest part?
Living in a crap area ( Cheshire) with nowere decent to go from the door..
Planning on getting the sleeper up to Avimore this year tho..

Going home afterwards