Bikepacking is ultimate freedom. You are self-supported, choosing your route, pedalling for as little or long as you like, exploring all day, finding the best views off the beaten track, setting up a camp spot at sunset, eating past with a spork, sleeping under the stars, then waking up the next morning with a coffee on the Jetboil and doing it all over again!
And the best thing? Its environmentally conscious. Dreamy. Of course, unpleasant weather happens, but if you’re wanting true adventure that’s just another part of the experience. Sold? Great! I’ve put together a beginner’s guide to bikepacking that’ll set you up ready for your first trip. (And if you aren’t already convinced to try it I hope you’ll have changed your mind by the end of this blog.)
What exactly is bikepacking?
Bikepacking is essentially backpacking but on a bike. It’s a little bit more adventurous than cycle touring (where you stay in hostels / B&Bs); you are self-sufficient, carrying your own overnight gear and cooking your meals. You are exploring the wilderness on two wheels, often on less-travelled routes. Bikepacking does not have many rules, and that is the freedom of it. It can be anything from a one-night get-me-out-of-the-house micro-adventure just pedalling away from your door, to a two-week epic journey across the country!
Most of my family holidays from when I was about 12 to 18 were cycle tours, and I was lucky to go to some amazing places, but since I’ve moved out and had my own independence, my lust for more wild adventuring has grown and I’m more excited by bikepacking. Lockdown I think fuelled my taste for it too. Having said that, I have also since done a few two-wheeled trips where I stayed in hostels / AirBnBs, and I must admit there were a couple of nights where I was very glad to have a hot shower and get my dry clothes off the radiator!
Where shall I go?
When it’s just you and your two-wheeled companion, the world is your oyster. There are hundreds of places I would love to go bikepacking, but with time and international travel being limiting factors over the last two summers I was forced to explore the UK. And what a treat that turned out to be! There is SO much to love about this country and even though we might be a tiny island there is a lot to see. Strictly speaking, wild camping is illegal in the UK, other than in Scotland and Dartmoor National Park. Generally speaking however you can get away with it, provided you limit your camp to dusk til dawn, and most importantly leave no trace. Of course, if the landowner is around then you should ask, but from experience the chances are they’ll look at you and be at least sympathetic if not entirely welcoming.
Some places do say strictly no camping; obviously avoid those spots. There is no shame in spending your first few nights in a campsite! If you have never wild camped before it can be a bit scary, especially if using a bivvy and a tarpaulin rather than a tent. It is also a good idea to test out your kit setup somewhere safe before you set off; I spent my first night out in my garden just to decide I definitely wouldn’t be spooked! (I have had some interesting discussions on wild camping; you can find these on YouTube here.)
Route planning
The UK is a wonderful place to go bikepacking. We have some stunning national parks and beautiful routes that are fairly easily navigable; to name a few the Coast to Coast between Whitehaven and Newcastle, the South Downs Way for the mountain bikers out there, and the famous North Coast 500 route around Scotland. The National Cycle Network covers thousands of miles of the country, although I wouldn’t advise following these unless you are on a bike that can handle all terrain – some of the marked routes are not actually roads and thin road tyres don’t fare too well on gravel! On a similar note, a handy hint: do not use google maps for bike routing. It will take you to silly places down things that may be marked as bike paths but are certainly not. We were unfortunate to need to go to Halfords in Bangor and thought we’d just put it in google and follow that. We ended up on what was a semi-dried river bed, barely even a footpath, but claimed to be a cycle route. Needless to say, fully laden road bikes do not belong on steep, rocky trails!
If you’ve got a specific destination in mind or a particular journey, e.g. Land’s End to John O’Groats, it is worth having a vague idea of a route, maybe a Plan A and a Plan B depending on how your legs are feeling on the day. If you have a short amount of time and places you know you want to see, pre-planning your route will give you the most time riding without worrying about where you are going. Komoot, Strava and Garmin are all useful apps for plotting a route. If time is not something you are short of, going without a plan is even more liberating… just ride wherever your legs take you!
BIKEPACKING KIT
Bike setup
Pretty much any bike can be used for bikepacking. Your choice of bike will depend on your choice of route; if you’re sticking on tarmac a road bike is ideal but a gravel or a mountain bike is more suitable if your route is going off-road. Ultimately, you’ll be best off on one that you’re comfortable riding on.
A bike set up for touring will have pannier racks on the frame with panniers that simply clip onto these. Bikepacking bags are attached directly onto the frame, hence why any bike can be used. A saddlebag is the best one to start with; I got mine cheaply here on Wiggle or if you’ve got more of a budget, Apidura make high quality expedition bags – expensive but neat designs. The most important thing is that it is waterproof! Tailfin make a slightly different style that is a bag attached to a frame which attaches to your bike, rather than attaching the bag directly to the bike itself. Handlebar bags are a good second bag and can fit a fair bit of kit in, they just take a little getting used to. The extra weight on the front stabilises the added weight on the back but make a difference for your handling especially on corners! Top tube bags and frame bags are also great for creating more space; these are widely available from most bike shops.
Camping kit
If you think you will be doing this a while (it is easy to get hooked on these sort of adventures!), it is worth investing in good kit. Quality goes the distance! Having said that, I actually did the majority of my trips this summer with the most basic and cheap shelter (#studentlife)....a 2x3m tarpaulin, tent pegs, and string. I was lucky and spend a few nights not even with tarp over my head (although a lack of tent can bite if the weather turns!)
The essential kit list
The key secret to successful bikepacking is packing light. Take minimal stuff and be organised about your packing. There is nothing more annoying than needing to get a spare tube out but it being the first thing you packed at the bottom of the bag and having to dig out the entire contents and repack it on the roadside! Below is what I would consider the necessities of any overnight trip. If you’re looking to invest in the gear, you can read extensive reviews of all kind of kit here.
Tent / tarp: There is lots I could say about this! If you’re going out alone, a one-man tent will do nicely; lightweight, pack fairly small and functional. There are specific tents designed for bikepacking on the market; some expensive but perhaps a worthwhile investment. The other option is a tarp. They are lighter and less bulky than most tents and are quick to setup. (I in fact started with a bog-standard tarpaulin rather than a camping tarp; it just about did the job but I would advise using a proper camping tarp!) A camping tarp will usually provide more protection for your bike, or build around it so that your bike is secure. Sleeping under a tarp you are more immersed in nature with the best appreciation for the night sky. However there are a few cons: although waterproof itself, if not set up tightly there is a high chance of getting wet when it rains, especially if windy, as a tarp offers only minimal protection against the wind since you are not enclosed in the same way as in a tent. You are also completely exposed to creepy crawlies / other wildlife / ticks and mosquitos. Whilst squirrels and such like are not likely to be a threat, ticks may carry Lyme disease which is a health risk to consider.
Bivvy (Bivouac) Bag: If you haven’t heard of a bivvy bag, this is essentially a thin waterproof outer bag that you put your sleeping mat and sleeping bag in if you are planning to go without a tent. Personally I wouldn’t necessarily advise this for anything more than a one-night trip (unless you are going somewhere guaranteed to be warm and dry!), but if you are just heading out on a last-minute overnight escapade you could probably get away with just a sleeping bag and bivvy bag, provided you don’t mind feeling entirely exposed to the sky. I have done this a few times and those have honestly been the best nights!
Sleeping Bag: You are really spoilt for choice when buying a sleeping bag, but as long as you have one that is warm enough for the season you intend on using it there will be one that fits your budget. The smaller it packs the better for bikepacking!
Kit bags: As discussed earlier!
Camping Stove: There are hundreds of camping stoves out there, but for cycle camping you want one that is ultralight and compact. Fuel availability is the most important factor in deciding which stove you need for a longer trip, but for shorter expeditions where you won’t need to worry about restocking fuel the canister stoves are best given their speed, ease of use and size. I am a big fan of Jetboil!
Cooking / eating equipment: Go minimalist. Take a bowl, a penknife, a knife/fork/spoon or a spork, a camping mug, a mini wooden spoon is quite handy for cooking, and a small pan (unless you have a Jetboil then you don’t even need this).
First Aid Kit: You only really need to take the basics, i.e. plasters, antiseptic wipes, gloves, a bandage, tape, a safety pin or two, paracetamol, mini tweezers and a couple of gauze dressings, because if it is any more serious than basic first aid you’ll probably have to call for help.
Bike Repair Kit: Tyre levers, CO2 canister, pump, puncture repair kit, quick release chain link and a multitool.
Spare Inner Tubes: Take one more than you think you need; 3 is a safe bet. Maybe only 2 if you’re only going for a weekend, but on longer trips more into the wilderness, bike shops might be few and far between.
Head Torch: Fairly obvious. A spare battery might be useful too.
Maps: Real paper maps. I like to be old-fashioned and carry a map because I don’t want to be relying on technology all the time, especially without plugs to easily charge things, lack of signal, and not wanting my phone to get wet.
Solar-powered power bank: If you’re bikepacking in the summer you’ll hopefully get enough sun to support charging your phone. You can’t rely on going to cafes to find a plug socket!
Bike lock: For obvious reasons. You shouldn’t be leaving your bike anywhere for a long time but useful nevertheless. Although wire locks aren’t the most secure, they’re far more transportable than a D-lock and safe enough for this.
Water purification tablets: These are a necessity if you are going to the middle of nowhere and want to be entirely self-sufficient. You could just boil your water before drinking it, but that takes time and uses your fuel.
Food: More on this later.
Highly recommended extras
Flip-flops: Almost an essential actually. Air your sweaty feet out at camp and protect your toes from spikey grass. They weigh next to nothing and are cheap as chips.
GoPro: If you’re keen to get into this kind of adventuring it might be something worth getting. I picked mine up from Aldi for £35 and it’s a great little camera! I want to enjoy living in the moment rather than through a camera lense but having a GoPro strapped to the handlebars recording the highlights of the trip means you can relive the best bits. (I’m imagining myself in a retirement home in my 80s re-watching all the footage of things I did in my 20s, telling my grandkids what exciting things this old woman once got up to!)
Sleeping mat: Potentially controversial this one, and certainly up to personal preference. I haven’t taken a sleeping mat on any of my trips because I can sleep perfectly fine on uncomfortable ground and I’d rather fill the space with something else. But it does add an extra layer of warmth off the ground. Pretty much everyone I’ve been bikepacking with is horrified by the thought of going without one! The self inflating ones or the types you blow up yourself are really good.
String: Something I’ve taken on most of my trips just in case something happens where I might need string. Be prepared for botch-jobs! Doesn’t take up much space so probably worth having! Cable ties can come in handy too.
Food
Cycling all day needs a lot of energy. The snacks you’d take on any other ride – flapjacks, energy bars, nuts etc – are essential, but you also need to think about meals. Going out for a pub meal is a treat after a long day in the saddle and of course this is your trip, you do it how you like, but it can get expensive. Dried expedition-style food is excellent; you simply add boiling water and leave for 8 mins or so, then voila, you have a nutritious dinner. The problem with these is they are also fairly pricey and sometimes can upset sensitive stomachs, so if you are planning on using them for multiple days make sure you have tried them before you set off! My go-to for breakfast when camping is a bowl of muesli: before I set off I pre-pack a bag of muesli or granola mixed with dried milk powder, then just add water when I need to eat it. Having a cold breakfast saves time, but if you’re going about it more leisurely or enjoy your morning cooking then there’s always porridge – something I am convinced tastes better when it is cooked on a camping stove! Lunch is however you like it. Again, it depends on the time you’ve got and where you are. It is difficult to carry all the food you need for more than a couple of days; if you are planning a longer trip make sure to plan where you might be able to restock! Teabags, coffee and hot chocolate powder would not go amiss!
Concluding thoughts
Before you go away thinking how idyllic this all sounds, I must just remind you that we are in the UK and unless you are very lucky and get your timing perfect, the weather is probably not going to be perfect. Chances are you’ll have at least one soggy day. BUT, as long as you are prepared, your kit is sealed in waterproof bags, and you’ve got the grit to get through the day, you will be fine. Lastly, don’t expect it to be all plain sailing (or should I say plain pedalling); an adventure would not be so adventurous if nothing goes wrong. Brush up on your bike mechanic skills before you set off!
Bikepacking really can be for anyone. You can make it as short, long, easy or difficult as you like. Immersing oneself in the journey can clear a cluttered mind or spark a focused mind. The unanticipated hiccups, the people you meet, the unexpected experiences and the escape into the wilderness make bikepacking a truly beautiful hobby.
What are you waiting for?!
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