How to plan your first big bikepacking adventure
January, for me one of the hardest months in the UK. It feels like its been dark, grey and damp forever. A month for hibernating, making good food for friends and dreaming of big adventures.
Well, not just dreaming, planning and making those dreams a reality. Whether its steep alpine singletrack, high camps in huge mountains, dusty dirt roads in the sun or eating your way around a new country. It can be very intimidating planning your first trip further afield, so here are some tips to help.
How do i find a route?
Luckily for us, there is so much amazing information online. You can still plan your own route from scratch using maps or planning apps like Ride with GPS or Komoot, but when you want to make the most of your holiday time, choosing a tried and tested route not only removes some of the stress, but also saves a lot of planning time and hopefully guarantees a great ride.
Bikepacking.com has a huge library of routes and is normally the first place i look. The routes there all have a lot of extra info to help you plan. Just be aware they are not always kept up to date so check the comments below.
Both route planning apps mentioned above have a library of routes for you to choose from. But be aware that these often use computer generation, and the routes may not always have been ridden by an actual human so could have “interesting” segments you are not expecting.
How do i choose a route?
So, now you have lots of routes to choose from, you need to make a decision! If you don't want to fly, that will narrow down the choice right away. Look for routes that have good train or bus links instead.
If you are still happy to fly, then start by checking weather info for the places you are considering. Arriving somewhere in freezing cold or sweltering mid-summer heat is not the most fun!
Think carefully about the distance and elevation. Although its often temping to try and fit it all in, ask what you really want from the trip. Is it to smash the miles and get your strava stats up, or is to take in new sights and culture? Cumulative fatigue is real, and riding a loaded bike for multiple days is tough. I normally plan a fairly “easy” for me sounding milage but have a few extra bits i can add on if needed. Likewise, i always work out where my shortcuts are!
I always do a google search to see if there are any blogs on the route, these can be hugely informative and help you find places you might otherwise miss or help with transport logistics helping you save time.
How do i travel with my bike?
For me the most stressful part of a trip is the travel. Whether you fly, bus or train, you will probably have an easier time if your bike is packed in a box or bag. Bike bags are much easier to get around as they have wheels, but they are expensive, heavier than a box (using more of your precious weight limit if flying) and don't work if you are riding a point to point and not returning to the start. You will need to store it somewhere too, often if you book a night's accommodation at the start and end of the trip you will be able to store it there for the duration, although they may be a fee. Some city's do small storage units for a week-by-week fee which can work out ok if there's a group of you.
Bike boxes are often available for free from your LBS, it might be worth asking in advance. They are also relatively easy to source at the end of a trip, meaning you can do point to point routes and not have to store them. Some airports or airlines will sell you a box but always check in advance.
Packing your bike will take a bit of time if you haven't done it before, so don't leave it till late the night before! How much you need to disassemble your bike will depend on the size of your bag or box. I normally take off pedals, front wheel out and remove the bars. Sometimes you will need to drop out the fork and take of your rear wheel as well. I always remove my rear mech to protect it, and my rotors if the wheels are out so they don't get bent. Its always a good idea to cable tie anything that can come loose and get lost together, like hub cabs, headsets and mech bolts.
If all that sounds really scary, your LBS will normally be happy to help. But it's probably good to be familiar with basic bike assembly and mechanics before your first longer trip, as you will have more confidence and be better able to fix things if something goes array. I can't recommend going on a trail side fix or other bike mechanic course enough, it will really help give you a confidence boost and those skills will serve you well over your riding career.
What to pack
The kit you need will depend on where you are going, the climate, food and water availability and your personal comfort. I get cold way easier than most people, so i often end up carrying more clothes. If you have a buddy, work out what kit you can share, including your bike repair things. The lighter you go, the nicer the riding, but only if you have enough to still be comfortable. There are lots of kit lists available online, and often you can find one in a blog of the route you have chosen.
If bikepacking is relatively new to you, try and do a test ride with all the gear so there are no surprises once you are away from home.
Navigation
With GPS tracks widely available, its easy to shove a route on your device and just follow a line. However, i feel this can be very restrictive and you can miss out on the bigger picture of where you are and make it harder to alter your route. If I'm going away for a long time, i still love an overview from a paper map. There are plenty of open-source maps available online, recently i used the OsmAnd app which was excellent and cheap. I like to have at least two ways to navigate, so if one fails I'm not stuck.
Do I go solo or with friends?
This is totally personal preference. Ive done lots of trips of each, and both are amazing. Don't be afraid to go alone if you are struggling to find company, solo trips can be more intimidating, but also some of the most memorable and amazing experiences you will have. Infact, if you haven't travelled solo before, i would give it a go.
If you are very keen on company but your friends are not free, ask in cycling groups and places like bikepacking buds. It's worth being clear with any potential partner, just what you want out of the trip in terms of riding, vs everything else and making sure you are both happy with each other's pace.
Anyway, hope some of that helps. Go and have some amazing adventures!
Words & Pictures: Annie Evans