First bikepacking tour: what you need to know

The bike is the ideal means of transport for lots of journeys. You get to experience the people, the weather and the landscape much more directly and vividly than by car. And unlike travelling on foot, you can also cover longer distances quickly.

On a standard bike tour, you use your bike as a mild-natured but rather unwieldy pack mule. You hang large front-roller and back-roller bags on the bike’s pannier rack. When you’re bikepacking though, you want to maintain the sporty handling and off-road capability of your bike – whether it’s a gravel bike, mountain bike or racing bike. You’re not necessarily riding across extreme terrain or over long distances, however. Bikepacking is also ideal for short tours involving one or two overnight stays.

Below are some key tips on equipment and knowledge to help you on your tour.

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Tip: test the equipment at Transa

Not sure which bags fit your bike? Or which ones you even need? Come along to our branches in Bern or Zurich. At the bikepacking stations there you can test-pack your own bike or one of our showroom bikes. We’ll give you bags and equipment such as cookers, pots and clothing. You can also weigh everything right there. Then take a short test ride to see how your bike handles when packed.

Bikepacking bags

Modern bikepacking bags sit very firmly and snugly on the bike. This allows you to ride on single trails even with luggage or ride at a relatively aerodynamic pace. A bikepacking set usually consists of a large saddle bag, a frame bag and a handlebar pack. You can add to this basic equipment with small accessory bags on the top tube, fork or handlebars of your bike. Plus, of course, bottle holders for taking water with you. Compared to classic touring bike panniers, you need to think more carefully about what you need when travelling with smaller bikepacking bags.

If possible, try to manage without a backpack when you're bikepacking – and if you have to, then just take a very light one. Because if you’re not carrying anything on your back, your shoulders won’t tense up as quickly and your back will be better ventilated. This makes a big difference on long climbs in summer.

Overnight stay

Since you travel with less and lighter equipment when bikepacking anyway, you can leave your big four-person tent at home. Depending on your comfort needs and the weather conditions, you can also manage with a tarp or a lightweight two-person tent plus sleeping bag and sleeping mat. It's important to pack small – make sure you have compact tent poles! All sleeping gear usually fits nicely into the handlebar pack.

Stay overnight at an official campsite if possible. Touring with overnight stays in guesthouses can also be a good choice. You can usually book accommodation via an app while you’re on your saddle. So you can forgo sleeping bag, mat and tent and you'll be even lighter on the road.

Food

If your tour brings you into contact with civilisation often enough, try to avoid carrying a lot of food and water with you. Because unlike hiking on foot, you can easily get to the nearest bakery, pizzeria or supermarket a few kilometres further on by bike. Smartphones and Google Maps usually make it easy to find them.

If you take a cooker with you, it should be as small as possible. Avoid taking large pots and lots of crockery. A small pot, a mug and a collapsible bowl usually do the job.

Clothing

It's better to pack fewer items, and ones that serve multiple purposes. At the end of the day, your clothes aren’t only for biking – you also need them in the evening around the campfire or at the campsite. For example, a pair of leg warmers and a pair of shorts can substitute for long trousers. Don’t forget to pack a warm synthetic fibre or down jacket – because as soon as you stop when sweaty, you’ll quickly get cold. If you are cycling longer distances, make sure to wear proper cycling trousers with padding. These also come as cycling shorts, which you can wear concealed under normal trousers or shorts.

Depending on how sporty and long you want your bikepacking tour to be, you should adapt your clothing accordingly. Cycling clothing is specially tailored to your riding position and your needs on the bike. Cycling shoes with a click system are a matter of personal preference, but can help you get around more efficiently. We definitely recommend a cycling helmet and goggles.

Navigation

You travel so fast on your bike that you don’t want to be looking at a map every time you turn off. A lot of GPS devices and bike computers offer a built-in routing function that calculates a route based on your specifications. The devices factor in, for example, if you want to ride on trails or prefer gravel.

If you often ride off-road, GPS trackers are usually more practical. You just follow them. GPS watches and smartwatches can also help you find your way. Note, however, that the displays are much smaller. You can also use your smartphone. GPS navigation does use a lot of battery though. Our tip: always take a small power pack with you so you can charge the battery in an emergency. And whichever device you choose, it is essential that it is securely mounted and does not restrict your view while riding.

Routes

On platforms such as Komoot you can plan routes or discover suggested tours recommended by other people. One of the great things about bikepacking, though, is that you can just go wherever the wind takes you.