The idea of bikepacking was brought to life by a group of black men traversing the mountains of the Rockies in the 1890s. Yes, you read that right, the Buffalo Soldiers, a group of black soldiers who got their name from natives, were at the beginning of using the bicycle as a long-distance, multi-terrain mode of travel.
Fast forward to the present day in the times of BLM, COVID, and social distancing, bikepacking allows us to take a break from it. In return, we are rewarded with those raw moments in life where freedom and challenge are quick-linked, bringing back a sense of liveliness to our days.
In short, bikepacking is a combination of biking, in it’s various forms, and camping.
The adventure of pedaling your bike couples with the joy of sleeping under the stars, creating an ideal weekend or long trip. From the seat of your bike you get to see the world through such a novel lens, every turn becomes a subtle surprise. And to give you the full story, the challenges of biking and camping are there too.
On a bikepacking trip, 1 inner tube puncture can turn into 3, a tent pole can break or a water filter gets clogged; you learn how to roll with the ups and downs.
Uniquely, most of the needed camping gear is slimmed down to the bare necessities. Things like a tent, sleeping bag, and bike tools are streamlined within the frame of the bike to reduce weight and maintain the bike’s natural shape. Special bikepacking bags are quite costly so know that nothing beats what you already have.
Bikepacking bags are useful for organization and utilizing space within your frame.
As for your bike, any bike can be used for a bikepacking trip. What’s important is that the bike can handle the terrain that is along your route. A daily commuter bike isn’t apt for single-track mountain biking but may make for a great overnight rig on hard-pack gravel and paved roads.
This is a full-suspension mountain bike set up for traveling over rocky desert single-track terrain.
In the midst of today’s political and social and environmental climate, an overnight bikepacking ride can be a well-deserved reset from it all. A few tips to keep in mind as you set out on your first trip:
Go with what you have. There’s no need to go out and get a new bike or a set of expensive bags. Load up a backpack, strap a dry bag of some kind to your seat post and fasten whatever else you need where ever it fits. It’ll work for your first trip, then you can decide what’s a priority as far as gear.
Start with an overnight. Invite friends, head out somewhere familiar, and take it slow. The power of going out for just one night will give you a ton of perspective on what a longer trip would look and feel like.
Smile in the face of discomfort. Growth and adaptation happen in that uncomfortable but manageable state. You know, like getting rained on unexpectedly, or locking your keys inside your car. These moments offer us time to practice decision making and problem-solving, so smile through it and you’ll surprise yourself what you can do.
Check out bikepacking.com to learn about all kinds of gear, routes and stories from the trails.
Photos by Adam Pawlikiewicz