Guys, let's see what's the most popular! Hit the 👍🏻 for BIKEPACKING or comment "touring" for TOURING! 😎 You can support these videos over on Patreon! I've had 1.4 million views on my touring videos in the last month, we're getting somewhere folks!! www.patreon.com/cyclingabout
Thumbs-up for backpacking! I have gotten into e-motors and batteries and converted a beach cruiser bike into an e-bike. It's good for rides less than 100km. It's nice to see a video of what frame and mounting requirements look like for bikes that can go out for several days (backpacking) and for weeks or months at a time (touring) so I know what to look for in future frame purchases.
My early 90s MTB was a Touringbike, a Mountainbike, a Gravelbike, an Adventurebike and a Commuter. We didn’t need labels then. It was just a good bike.
Love the honest, matter of fact style here. There’s a lot of crossover between bike types and as stated, the rider is responsible for choosing the setup for the intended purpose. The good news is there’s not a lot of bad choices availability if the rider works with the guidelines stated.
My first touring bike (1974) was an old Cinelli frame from the 1960s. The pack frame broke in Morocco and was rebuilt using rebar. My bike pack was a Kelty back pack off its frame, folded over the rear wheel. My 'stove' was a wood fire - stainless spokes make for good brochettes. A kilo of dried camel hump got me across the Moroccan Sahara. Missing an oasis almost killed me. I rode all night, knowing I would die of thirst if the sun rose before I found water. I got a lot of puzzled looks in tiny villages in southern Algeria. One could tell that some people had never seen a bicycle up close.
Your honesty just shines through every video of yours that I watch! Thank you for your channel. India has tremendous scope for cycling, both for the sake of exercise & hobby as well as transportation, especially in the new generation, and we appreciate content like yours. Regards from India 🇮🇳
I converted a 1991 930 to touring back in 1998 and rode from Boulder, CO to San Francisco. It was perfect! I re-built the wheels, changed tires, expanded the gearing and upgraded lots of parts.....one of the funnest bike projects I've ever done! Hope you love yours.
I have a 930 converted to commuter. Did you change the fork to a touring fork also? They are awesome bikes, trutemper frames and made in USA. what happened to Trek . They made some awesome stuff in the 80' and 90s
The last time I rode a bike I was around 14, I'm now 33 and getting one again. I'm already a bushcrafter and Survivalist so I absolutely cannot wait to go on an extended bikepacking trip! I'm pretty poor so getting a new but budget steel frame mountain bike from Halfords and a pannier rack so I can just bungee my current backpack to the bike. Gonna be a wild ride learning all this stuff haha can't wait.
A few years ago I was researching touring bikes and came across cyclingabout. Lots of good info (and now just found your TH-cam) Ended up a steel tourer that’s been my main bike for a few years (Kona Sutra). Keep up the great work - cheers
I have a Trek MTB that isn't designed for either but I have everything to set it up with road touring or bikepacking. It works perfect for both and for me it's all about the bags. Panniers don't do well on single tracks but longer road tours need much more capacity for a more comfortable trip. It's really about how much food and water you need to load also. Anyway, people overthink everything and get caught up in spending money. I just watched a great documentary made in Mexico showing trail and tour riders on cheap bikes out riding the foreign "professionals". 😆
This is an excellent comparison between the two touring setups. My Genesis Longitude is fine for both ways of travel I guess. The only upgrade I am now thinking is getting a dynamo hub and some connected lights for it. It would be just safer on the road if I could keep the lights on all the time without worrying about their batteries.
me six. Actually, I am even more confused, I didn't even know there was such a thing as a touring or camping bike, I thought it was a MTB with lots of bags hanging on it. Such types, much wow.
I absolutely love your videos! They are well organized by category, and slam full of information, and you don’t waste one minute of my time. Best channel for information on the internet, hands down!
Fantastic video. Having a friend who has travelled throughout Europe, South America and is currently touring through New Zealand. It has been fascinating being shown the various parts to his bike and as equally fascinating the types of luggage he uses.
After working with bikes i grew to hate rear kickstands. They inevitably bend or destroy rear triangle. Center stand is better, and a double-swing-out is the best (as opposed to stiff two-legs) But even better is a stand from tent poles that supports your bike by the seat tube.
Excactly..A well made Randonneur is a splendid construction, way better than the majority of these clumsy industrial monsters 🙈 A triple butted Koga Miyata Randonneur from '90 is still hardly made any better! Some people are shockingly ignorant... Safe travels and fair winds 🚲🚲🌄🍻
I have a 2019 Salsa Fargo Tiagra. Love this bike. I've done some shorter tours (200-300 km) on varying terrain but with a more traditional touring set up, ie, racks, panniers, bungee cords, etc. Works for me. Plan on doing extended touring with it. As I am getting older one drawback is it could have a little lower gearing.
I did tour starting from Sitka to San Francisco through Vancouver Island on a Surly Troll. It did everything with confidence, including single track. The Jones H-Bars are the most comfortable bars I have ever ridden.
Im still riding my Klien Performance with a sugino triple crank, suntour cyclone derailleurs and Brooks B17 saddle. Other than building spare/alternative wheelsets its been unchanged for decades.
I still use my Unicycle carrying my touring kit in plastic trash bags over my shoulders.. You an all your fancy state of the art stuff nonsense.. so stupid.
Excellent video and I actually watched it twice. Although I understand and appreciate the concept of bikepacking by keeping it as light as possible so you can basically mountain bike with gear, I will probably always use panniers and racks although I have learned to lighten it up considerably over the years. They are so much simpler and will never limit where I can go.
@@Cyclingabout panniers are only an issue on heavy motorcycles offroad, bicycles are light enough that you can literally lift it over a narrow section if required.
Interesting video - I guess I never even knew there was a distinction. To me it is all about the terrain and distance I guess. I tour on a vintage Trek road bike with updated wheels and drivetrain. But I guess I’m backpacking when I ride my Raleigh gravel bike for overnighters?
I love your videos man. So, so useful. Because of you and Yohan G. I have gotten into Bikepacking. This year I've done two long trails in UK. Thank you for the videos you are sharing with us.
I have a 700c gravel bike. The drive train offers great road performance, and all the mounts keep some light bike packing open as an option. The road oriented drive train limits my bike packing options, and pretty much eliminates serious touring. My bike is perfect for my needs, but I'm glad to learn about other forms of cycling. Thank you for all this information.
By drivetrain you mean crankset? A year ago I mounted MTB crankset with converter, this year I "built" custom casette and I couldn't be happier (apart from the fact Shimano screwed up their job with compatibility). In total I have 27 gears (3x9) with 200% range on crankset and nice cadence from casette.
Another great video! Thanks! I really enjoy watching whatever you put out. It is well researched, thorough, and very respectful of the time and intelligence of your viewers! Congratulations and keep them coming. I will buy your book.
I was not even aware of a difference between touring and bikepacking, lol. But since becaming a patron for your channel I am wathing every video and learning something new every time. Awesome.
The family and I rode from Regensburg to Passau along the Danube on three very diffferent types of bikes with various handlebars, frames, and drive trains. Two used panniers and two used a basket mounted on a rack. Our first such trip, but everyone made it (100km Day one, 60 km day two) and are talking about similar trips in the future. Thanks for the inspiration to take the first trip!
Pretty much nails it. Very comprehensive and well explained as to the differences and similarities. I'm saving this YT link for all the times I see this question asked on the assorted cycling websites. Well Done !
Agree with all you said, great job. I did the Rhine our from Andermatt in the Swiss Alps to Hook of Holland over 19 days 1500 km . I used a Giant Toughroad 1x set up with full paniers. The bike is advertised as more gravel but it worked perfectly for me. I can also lighten the load considerably for 2-4 day bikepacking with the Ortlieb seatpost bag and handlebar roll. Once again good job.
True. Any bike will do: every summer I do a two week bikepacking trip with my "normal" Bianchi endurance road bike through France and Spain starting from Switzerland. Roads are usually paved with the occasional light gravel - in the last years I learned the hard way what spares I have to take along....😜
Expedition touring bikes appear to be one of the few remaining bike types where the 26er wheel lives on...smaller diameter (easier to fit into the bike box), lighter weight, sturdier wheel (shorter spokes, shorter distance between spokes), increased agility (somewhat offsets the long chainstays and wheelbase?), part / tire availability in less developed countries (where the 29er and 27.5er craze has not replaced it yet).
Excellent video. My Jamis Renegade Elite has the strength and all mounts necessary for minimalist bickpacking as I realized on my recent 825 mile bikepacking adventure from Key West, FL to South Carolina. The bike is rated for 25 lbs on the front and the same on the rear. I had 18 lbs on the rear and 12 lbs on the front of my carbon frame. I weigh 168 lbs. Performed like a champ!!
Once upon a time sports tourer and lightweight tourer were categories/labels in the industry. The bike changes are often branding, labeling and marketing.
I really enjoyed your video and I learned a lot as I started bicycle touring and bike packing nearly 40 years ago. One thing that was good about bike packing 40 years ago is that there were no rules against it. Some of the places I went are off limits to bicycles now. On the other hand I went some places that were entirely unsuitable for bikes. Yes, the bike packing bikes were shit as they were just mountain bikes with touring racks.
I use a Specialized Crosstrail for cycle touring using panniers and a handle bar mount for my tent and a couple of other items. The first time I rode it loaded, I found an issue where the front suspension fork starts twisting, it can if your not careful develop in to a very serious speed wobble. The other issue is the brakes (rim on this model) despite being well adjusted etc, could not stop the bike when going down a hill.
At rim brakes much depends on the brake pads. I can recommend Kool Stop dual compound brake pads, if you use V brakes, they wear down the rim very little, but offer a good brake performance.
As a beginner starting research on this massive field, I found your video very informative. In the future, it might also be a good idea to explain what the differences between a bikepacking and a touring bike are, in terms of what sorts of journeys they each would be used for.
My in the works bikepacking kit uses my Trek Remedy enduro bike. Plan to mostly do shorter trips in the mountains with ultralight hiking gear. Want to try riding a hike I did a few years ago with a couple summits and alpine descents. Very excited to try riding scree with my tubeless downhill tires. Still need to make or purchase a frame bag to work around my rear shock but my triangle is big enough to make it worthwhile, have a sweet roll for the my tent, clothing and sleeping kit. Went for a jerrycan for admin use. Hopefully I can stash my food, camelbak, water purification and cook kit in the frame bag. Trying to avoid a saddlebag and backpack to keep my dropper post useful for comfort and downhill performance.
Last week I biked upstream the Danube from Vienna to Linz, Austria. I have a 2001 Cannondale F500 that I brought over here from the USA, and made for the occasion into a poor man's touring bike. I live here and it's my daily/weekly steed. Would be super curious to hear some basic talking points about such a decision. I have a Surly rack which I loaded up with at least 30 lbs and camped along the way. I'm not super fit, but managed 85, 75, and 50km per day, respectively over a 3-day period. I know that if I was going to do a proper tour I'd need to invest in some better gear, but I really (really) enjoyed doing it with my existing kit, and in my current Zeitgeist, a hobo travels with what he's got. That being said, I think the aluminum frame is overbuilt for flatland, and the drive train performed just fine. When I look at the bike, I see a shape that resembles modern day gravel bikes more than modern day mountain bikes. In the end, I concluded that the setup I had was actually not so bad for the task. Anywho... enjoying the videos, makes me want to keep putting miles on my bike.... best wishes aus Wien.
It's a cool older bike but I would've gotten rid of that suspension fork, it's less that ideal for road touring, especially since it's old. I did my South America tour in 2015 on a 1990 Specialized StumpJumper (Rigid steel fork) but upgraded all of the components, wheels and drivetrain to more modern ones. Geometry wise, those older bikes have decent touring geometry if you put on a tall stem. The issue with a lot of those older aluminum mtb frames is that they have no mounts compared to newer touring/bikepacking bikes.
@@2WheelsGood.01 Most Cannondales of the era had headshok , suspension you can lock out from the top of the steerer . Other half has one , its been her go to bike for going abroad. They are robust as the suspension is behind a boot and still going strong ( only maintenance is renewing air, o rings and some grease) Bikepacking has changed how people tour, and it’s getting like MTB with all the variations.
@@ronnie8446 after working as a mechanic at one of U.S's biggest Cannondale dealers, I would personally not tour on a suspension bike. It's totally doable, and it can be more comfortable, but I would never want to deal with suspension issues or maintenance, especially in non developed counties. My next touring build will be a rigid steel frame, 650b x 50mm wheels/tires, Rohloff hub.
Perhaps we have been lucky, it's been down the divide to Denver 2 trips to South Chile and Argentina and Kyrgyzstan on the dirt. I have a newer one the touring 26 with headshok a USA 🇺🇸 made one. 😁 Nice bike you are building up.
My bike always hovers somewhere in between a true touring and a true bikepacking setup. Panniers, a frame bag and a handlebar harness are a great combo for my Ogre.
Hey yo bro i like your information , i'm from indonesia i don't really good at speak english but can you explain a bike from indonesia like Polygon / Unite Bike I need To Know If The Bike Really wort To Buy For Touring/backpaking and then the roadbike as well
Life long racer here. My racing bikes are light and responsive while my Miyata Six-Ten is a classic touring bike which I describe as "the Cadillac." Cadillacs aren't really racing cars ;)
Yes apparently you don't really have to be Touring to be Bike Packing. No one said you actually have to go very far or use anything from the bags. So I guess Bike Packing is for people that will not be Touring, just put some bags on the bike and ride around before they go back home.
@@plusbonus1165 Very close for sure. In my interpretation, bikepacking has a sportive background (people extend their sport into an "adventure"), while touring comes from the travel side (people do an adventure and happen to use sports equipment - a bike). The result is similar but IMHO not the same. Watch the excellent video above and you will learn the differences.
I recently have got back into bike riding, and the information you supply is informative and easy to understand. You have even got me thinking about venturing into one or two night bike trip (around Australia of course)🙂🚲
New to the channel and damn, great info! I've been looking for some good urban/touring bike info for some time. Seriously looking at a Koga touring bike. Main qualities I'm looking for is reliability, ease of maintenance, and packability i.e. flights and train rides. Belt drive and Internal hub gearing is so fascinating, wish I had more access to this technology in the US.
It's a long shot, but Maine Bike Works has Rohloff and Pinion gearbox belt demo bikes they let you thrash around on. Otherwise, look for a Co-Motion dealer as they also tend to have Rohloff/Pinion/Gates bikes on the floor.
All this shows there is a lot of interesting ground in between the categories. Finding out where your sweet spot is is key. Carrying more weight is not a goal in itself, and adding unnecessary weight can be avoided. A relatively sturdy but not too heavy bike and relatively light packing, and doing without unnecessary stuff like a bike stand, gets me in the spot where i like to be: light enough to be fun and even do some off-roading when wanted, sturdy enough to pack what's necessary.
There's no difference..its camping, using a bike! Listening to all the bullsh*t just makes you open/more susceptible to all the marketing garbage out there!
Certainly in the Uk there has been the distinction of fast touring or winter bike by traditional frame builders, likey a racing frame with slightly relaxed angles, clearances for mudguards and eyes for rear racks. but strictly for the road.
@@nicojar the parallel would be a bike bike pack. whats wrong with pack, pannier, saddlebag(s), , bed roll or bindle? do we really need new words? travoir is probably out of common use so I wont ask about it. just realize that if your trailer looses a wheel thats pretty much what you are left with .
The term is awkward. I've personally taken to calling them camping bikes instead. While you'd usually camp outdoors on longer tours(on or off road), calling it a camping bike emphasizes the typical off road use and configuration. At least in USA the connotation would be clear. It seems as the lines continue to blur, bikes may start to be categorized by the total weight rating vs a designated use.
I have a gravel bike which I initially set up for bike packing, but have since added front and rear racks and (gravel) panniers. I keep the weight of the front panniers to a minimum, as the carbon fork really isn't appropriate for this kind of load bearing.
It is not true, that bikepacking bikes are mainly used for shorter trips. People use them for racing self-supported races across continents - this is becoming more and more popular - often riding more than 4-5000 km as one long timetrail. Like the Trans American Bike Race (US), Trans Continental Race (EUR) and Indian Pacific Wheel Race (AUS). Hardly no one would ever use a touring bike for these races. They are simply too heavy. I personally use a 1x titanium gravelbike with drops and triathlon bars - and it has a SON dynamo hub to charge bike computer and smartphone. After trying bikepacking and getting ultralight tent, sleeping bag etc., I do not think I would ever go back to the big panniers - even if just touring. I can have my entire sleeping arrangement in my front bag and it weighs only 1350 g - and less if I only bring a bivy bag. Clothes go on the rear bag. Spareparts, phone, extra powerbank, food, ultralight towel etc. in the frame bag. Dynamo hub charger in the toptube bag. More food in the food pouches on the handlebar.
Best option: steel frame classic 26" mountain bike with 3x9 or 3x10 gear and classic panniers. Absolutely tested and reliable, easily replacing parts all over the world, frame easy to repair, geometry perfect both for road or offroad terrain, tires from 1" to 2.3", gear ready for 55 km/h or for the steepest offroad terrain... Classic panniers allow to fast access to anything, with no hundred narrow bags all over the bike...
Sorry to burst you bubble, I've been touring around north,central and south america on a 3x9 11-36 cassette Surly Troll for over 2.5 years now and I'm in Mexico now and I can tell you that 26" anything is absolutely obsolete! Dead! It has been a nightmare. I can find zero parts for it, anywhere. Definitely forget tires.Literally nothing anywhere. Traditional wisdom is gone out the window, China has flooded the market with 27.5/29" everything and that's what killed the 26" anything over the last 5+ years. Seriously ,everything I have for my bike I had to buy off Amazon and luckily had it within 4 days. I've spent days and more than a week looking for what was considered simple parts "easily" found :shifters,cassettes,chains,tires,disc rotors 160mm,BB,brake pads,etc...Nada! Super frustrating. I can't buy a new bike now but I will sell this 26" 3x9 Troll in a flash the first chance I get. You can get everything for it online still. Maybe in Europe too where people still ride 26" bikes. My friends who toured 10+ years ago are mind blown about this change. Good luck!
@@alwayslearning7672 Interesting comment. What's wrong with getting things off the internet? Another strategy is finding used parts locally. I see 26" wheels and tires all over the place in California - flea markets, garage sales, thrift stores, bike co-ops, etc. Often in excellent condition. Same with components. Many shops and co-ops have parts bins. And there are people selling all these things on eBay. If you go with reliable components, and treat them well, there shouldn't be a lot of need for replacements. When something like a tire or chain looks like it will need replacing soon, you can order or replace it in advance.
My (admittedly limited) experience with a small-frame 26-er (vintage Gary Fisher Hoo Koo e Koo) was that it was difficult to fit the pannier bags far back enough that my heels wouldn't clip the pannier bags. On a multi-day tour, that would get a bit tiresome, as well as wearing out shoes and bags.
@@davidrowe8747 Some vintage mountain bikes had longer stays. Bikeforums.net has a touring forum (or sub-forum) that has threads, including a sticky, on mountain bike conversions (to touring bikes). Some 80s bikes had very long chainstays (Specialized Stumpjumpers, for one example - there were many others). Some were medium-long, but still long enough to avoid heal strike.
With a 2 x or 3 x I just need to drop the chain into the next lower front chainring to reach for the light gears. This is such a time saver. While a 1x needs to shift the chain up the entire cassette putting much more stress on the drivetrain especially fully loaded. I'll never part with my Shimano XT 2x12. I find the 22/36 front and 10/45 rear setup perfect for climbing steep mountains in the Alps.
I have a Salsa Woodsmoke bikepacking bike. Besides weekend camping, I’m doing the MT/WY section of the GDMBR in August this year, and plan to do a section of the Mediterranean Route next summer 2021 with the same bike. If COVID cooperates.
atm im going with my Trek 920 sad to see it isnt made anymore as I love it when going touring both on the road and in the offroad singletrack and normally going with 4 panniers I really wanna jump over to the real bikepacking setup but yeah need to cut down some gear first I guess but maybe for the next bike in some years I will do the big shift over
Good and clear information! I interviewed two bike packers and made a video about them on my channel (one cycled from Africa to Europe and one from Belgium to France).. but now I guess that one was bike packing and the other one was bike touring.. I wondered if you'd like to take a look and tell me if you agree with the information they shared 🚲 Wishing you the best!
It's all a bit confusing, to be honest. These days both words are almost used interchangeably. Normally, "bikepacking" is an off-road trip with wild camping and camp cooking along the way, whereas "bicycle touring" is on-road but you travel along corridors with more services (hotels/campsites/restaurants). But then, bikepackers may stay in hotels, eat in restaurants... and bicycle tourers ride on dirt roads and wild camp every day! There is an unbelievable amount of crossover. So, it mostly comes down to equipment. Bikepacking bags are the ones that strap to your bike, and I covered the bike differences in this video. Those two things are more clear. So, to answer your question - the people you interviewed could really be touring OR bikepacking! But in terms of equipment, the woman had more of a touring bike setup, while the man was more bikepacking.
@@Cyclingabout wow thank you a lot for your kind reply! I guess terminology is always very hard to distinguish ... Thank you for helping me understand the difference better!
Thank you for your contribution to the video, which is very useful to me and answered the questions that I particularly concerned about and must know. I have not found these information on TH-cam and some people gave the wrong ones. thanks again.
I had a 1989 Miyata 718, partly aluminum/Cro-Mo it was for triathlon's but I used it for general commuting with a rear rack, it was size 56 frame, only 21 lbs, was very nimble but felt almost a little small for me, lots fun to ride it. As it was stolen last summer I bought a hardly used 2009 Trek 520 size 57, 26.5 lbs. without racks it feels bigger than the Miyata and more stable, slowly getting used to it but still miss the Miyata 718. I still have the original tire's on this Trek 520, Bontrager Hard Case Race Lite 700-32. I expect it would be faster with a Continental GP 5000 but for now these tire's are getting used up first. Interesting to learn about the differences between category's, thx!
That weight rating being a floor and not a ceiling gives me a lot more confidence in the DT wheels and building up right now. The rims I'm using have a rated capacity of 130 kg.
"You can however use a lighter built frame and carry a load at just one end" - Why is this? Just because there'll be less weight, or does having the load all one one end cause less stress?
Thank you Alee, another encyclopedic installment. Are you planning to do an episode focused on wheels and brakes? If the world ever goes back to some sort of normality that will allow long-distance traveling, I will go for a a touring bike although the weight puts me off at first. But versatility and durability comes first.
Touring doesn't necessitate riding a slow monstrous bike loaded down to ridiculous levels. My bike + gear ( minus food and water) is typically under 16kg/35lbs for road trips with full camping gear. If you're not carrying massive amounts of stuff your bike can be a thoroughbred vs a pack mule. Backpackinglight.com, bikepacking.net and bikepacking.com are good resources for information on how to reduce your gear weight. Starting out local trips of 1-3 nights are an excellent way to get experience.
Guys, let's see what's the most popular!
Hit the 👍🏻 for BIKEPACKING or comment "touring" for TOURING! 😎 You can support these videos over on Patreon! I've had 1.4 million views on my touring videos in the last month, we're getting somewhere folks!! www.patreon.com/cyclingabout
Thumbs-up for backpacking! I have gotten into e-motors and batteries and converted a beach cruiser bike into an e-bike. It's good for rides less than 100km. It's nice to see a video of what frame and mounting requirements look like for bikes that can go out for several days (backpacking) and for weeks or months at a time (touring) so I know what to look for in future frame purchases.
Touring, there's no such thing as over built when you are miles away from services.
Touring
uiuiii9i
Touring
My early 90s MTB was a Touringbike, a Mountainbike, a Gravelbike, an Adventurebike and a Commuter. We didn’t need labels then. It was just a good bike.
My BMX in the 90s was all around too
I am now more confused about the two categories than before :D
Me too
me three
me 4
Ah, that problem with TOO MUCH categories... and subcategories!
Yeah that's for sure. In this kind of situation I think if you do not know the difference, huge probability there is no difference for you.
50k views overnight on a touring bike video. What is going on in cycling land? Good work man!
Just pumping out some touring content and stoked people like it! 🙏🏼
Everyone wants to escape
bike sales exploded due to Covid. I got this recomended because watching road bike videos
Yep biking industry on greens during ds pandemic season
durianrider got his mindblown, a bike video where you dont need to expose your girlfriend ass to make views. WOW content matter. insane.
Love the honest, matter of fact style here. There’s a lot of crossover between bike types and as stated, the rider is responsible for choosing the setup for the intended purpose. The good news is there’s not a lot of bad choices availability if the rider works with the guidelines stated.
My first touring bike (1974) was an old Cinelli frame from the 1960s. The pack frame broke in Morocco and was rebuilt using rebar. My bike pack was a Kelty back pack off its frame, folded over the rear wheel. My 'stove' was a wood fire - stainless spokes make for good brochettes. A kilo of dried camel hump got me across the Moroccan Sahara. Missing an oasis almost killed me. I rode all night, knowing I would die of thirst if the sun rose before I found water. I got a lot of puzzled looks in tiny villages in southern Algeria. One could tell that some people had never seen a bicycle up close.
Your honesty just shines through every video of yours that I watch! Thank you for your channel. India has tremendous scope for cycling, both for the sake of exercise & hobby as well as transportation, especially in the new generation, and we appreciate content like yours. Regards from India 🇮🇳
This video strikes to the point with with unequalled accuracy, only wish there were more people with your work ethic, keep up the ecellent reporting!
I agree! No long-winded introductions or building up. It gets to the point quickly.
Finally, a video that talks about the difference between bike touring and bikepacking and that sums it up. it's rare on youtube!
i have just converted a 1992 trek 930 singletrack to a touring bike with new wheels, tubus rack and a brooks saddle, i love it!!
Sounds awesome!
I love my 930s. Except I'm taking it the "retro mod" route and I'm planning a tubeless setup, 1x10 drivetrain, and dropper post
@@Cyclingabout it really is, its just awesome to build your own bike the way you want it without compromising
I converted a 1991 930 to touring back in 1998 and rode from Boulder, CO to San Francisco. It was perfect! I re-built the wheels, changed tires, expanded the gearing and upgraded lots of parts.....one of the funnest bike projects I've ever done! Hope you love yours.
I have a 930 converted to commuter. Did you change the fork to a touring fork also?
They are awesome bikes, trutemper frames and made in USA. what happened to Trek . They made some awesome stuff in the 80' and 90s
The last time I rode a bike I was around 14, I'm now 33 and getting one again. I'm already a bushcrafter and Survivalist so I absolutely cannot wait to go on an extended bikepacking trip! I'm pretty poor so getting a new but budget steel frame mountain bike from Halfords and a pannier rack so I can just bungee my current backpack to the bike. Gonna be a wild ride learning all this stuff haha can't wait.
A few years ago I was researching touring bikes and came across cyclingabout. Lots of good info (and now just found your TH-cam) Ended up a steel tourer that’s been my main bike for a few years (Kona Sutra). Keep up the great work - cheers
Great bike choice :)
I have a Trek MTB that isn't designed for either but I have everything to set it up with road touring or bikepacking. It works perfect for both and for me it's all about the bags. Panniers don't do well on single tracks but longer road tours need much more capacity for a more comfortable trip. It's really about how much food and water you need to load also. Anyway, people overthink everything and get caught up in spending money. I just watched a great documentary made in Mexico showing trail and tour riders on cheap bikes out riding the foreign "professionals". 😆
This is an excellent comparison between the two touring setups. My Genesis Longitude is fine for both ways of travel I guess. The only upgrade I am now thinking is getting a dynamo hub and some connected lights for it. It would be just safer on the road if I could keep the lights on all the time without worrying about their batteries.
me six. Actually, I am even more confused, I didn't even know there was such a thing as a touring or camping bike, I thought it was a MTB with lots of bags hanging on it. Such types, much wow.
I absolutely love your videos! They are well organized by category, and slam full of information, and you don’t waste one minute of my time. Best channel for information on the internet, hands down!
Thank you so much!
Fantastic video. Having a friend who has travelled throughout Europe, South America and is currently touring through New Zealand. It has been fascinating being shown the various parts to his bike and as equally fascinating the types of luggage he uses.
I've learnt more in this 10 minute video than I have in reading hours of blogs and viewing other videos. Thank you !
After working with bikes i grew to hate rear kickstands.
They inevitably bend or destroy rear triangle.
Center stand is better, and a double-swing-out is the best (as opposed to stiff two-legs)
But even better is a stand from tent poles that supports your bike by the seat tube.
Touring! I have a 2012 Vivente World Randoneur. Solidly built. Really like it, and it performs well on tours.
Excactly..A well made Randonneur is a splendid construction, way better than the majority of these clumsy industrial monsters 🙈
A triple butted Koga Miyata Randonneur from '90 is still hardly made any better!
Some people are shockingly ignorant...
Safe travels and fair winds 🚲🚲🌄🍻
I have a 2019 Salsa Fargo Tiagra. Love this bike. I've done some shorter tours (200-300 km) on varying terrain but with a more traditional touring set up, ie, racks, panniers, bungee cords, etc. Works for me. Plan on doing extended touring with it. As I am getting older one drawback is it could have a little lower gearing.
I did tour starting from Sitka to San Francisco through Vancouver Island on a Surly Troll. It did everything with confidence, including single track. The Jones H-Bars are the most comfortable bars I have ever ridden.
Im still riding my Klien Performance with a sugino triple crank, suntour cyclone derailleurs and Brooks B17 saddle. Other than building spare/alternative wheelsets its been unchanged for decades.
I still use my Unicycle carrying my touring kit in plastic trash bags over my shoulders.. You an all your fancy state of the art stuff nonsense.. so stupid.
@@reserva120 Cool unicycle setup bro! Only problem - you dont travel.
@@MetaJamm be careful of what you speak, in other words ,don't be stupid..
@@reserva120Dont worry boi, i can take that risk. And yes, you dont travel, and they do. Well done! Keep it up!
Awosome video,thanks for your good informations and advice.You speak english very fluently.I use your videos to support my english learning.Thank you
Excellent video and I actually watched it twice. Although I understand and appreciate the concept of bikepacking by keeping it as light as possible so you can basically mountain bike with gear, I will probably always use panniers and racks although I have learned to lighten it up considerably over the years. They are so much simpler and will never limit where I can go.
I don't really have problems with panniers, even off-road. Most trails are wide enough. 👍🏻
@@Cyclingabout panniers are only an issue on heavy motorcycles offroad, bicycles are light enough that you can literally lift it over a narrow section if required.
you categorized all the mess in my head regarding this topic straightaway , thank you! it's clearer picture now
Glad it was helpful!
Interesting video - I guess I never even knew there was a distinction. To me it is all about the terrain and distance I guess. I tour on a vintage Trek road bike with updated wheels and drivetrain. But I guess I’m backpacking when I ride my Raleigh gravel bike for overnighters?
I love your videos man. So, so useful. Because of you and Yohan G. I have gotten into Bikepacking. This year I've done two long trails in UK. Thank you for the videos you are sharing with us.
That's great to hear! All the best!
And now the “bike packing bike” can’t get off my head
Drink everytime he says "bike packing bikes"!
So annoying lol
It’s “bikepacking bike”
I have a 700c gravel bike. The drive train offers great road performance, and all the mounts keep some light bike packing open as an option. The road oriented drive train limits my bike packing options, and pretty much eliminates serious touring. My bike is perfect for my needs, but I'm glad to learn about other forms of cycling. Thank you for all this information.
By drivetrain you mean crankset? A year ago I mounted MTB crankset with converter, this year I "built" custom casette and I couldn't be happier (apart from the fact Shimano screwed up their job with compatibility). In total I have 27 gears (3x9) with 200% range on crankset and nice cadence from casette.
@@WanderABit I mean groupset - cranks and cassette included. I'm running a stock shimano 105 setup. Loving it.
@@HeatherSpoonheim You lost me with "loving it" and "it eliminates touring" :-) For a road bike it is understood but for gravel one...
Another great video! Thanks! I really enjoy watching whatever you put out. It is well researched, thorough, and very respectful of the time and intelligence of your viewers! Congratulations and keep them coming. I will buy your book.
Much appreciated! I'm trying my best to bring the more technical side of bikes to the most people because touring is awesome. 😎
Great video.
My choice? "Credit Card" touring on a bikepacking bike through wine country in France!
OK to be sure, without a bike ok
Zen riding , keeping it simple ..
I was not even aware of a difference between touring and bikepacking, lol. But since becaming a patron for your channel I am wathing every video and learning something new every time. Awesome.
Thanks for your support! It makes it possible for me to allocate more of my time towards these tech videos. 🙏🏼
Very professional U-tube with lots of good info´s. Thanks.
The family and I rode from Regensburg to Passau along the Danube on three very diffferent types of bikes with various handlebars, frames, and drive trains. Two used panniers and two used a basket mounted on a rack. Our first such trip, but everyone made it (100km Day one, 60 km day two) and are talking about similar trips in the future. Thanks for the inspiration to take the first trip!
That's awesome, I'm stoked you had a good time!
Pretty much nails it. Very comprehensive and well explained as to the differences and similarities. I'm saving this YT link for all the times I see this question asked on the assorted cycling websites. Well Done !
Awesome, thank you!
Agree with all you said, great job. I did the Rhine our from Andermatt in the Swiss Alps to Hook of Holland over 19 days 1500 km . I used a Giant Toughroad 1x set up with full paniers. The bike is advertised as more gravel but it worked perfectly for me. I can also lighten the load considerably for 2-4 day bikepacking with the Ortlieb seatpost bag and handlebar roll. Once again good job.
Many years on a Salsa Fargo now, still in love with this bike!
The only difference is companies trying to differentiate the two to make more money....just get on your bike, add the gear to it and ride it....
True. Any bike will do: every summer I do a two week bikepacking trip with my "normal" Bianchi endurance road bike through France and Spain starting from Switzerland. Roads are usually paved with the occasional light gravel - in the last years I learned the hard way what spares I have to take along....😜
Another Excellent video! Clear, defined and straightforward. Thank you!
8:40
Thanks for that line
❤️
Fixie is my favourite
Expedition touring bikes appear to be one of the few remaining bike types where the 26er wheel lives on...smaller diameter (easier to fit into the bike box), lighter weight, sturdier wheel (shorter spokes, shorter distance between spokes), increased agility (somewhat offsets the long chainstays and wheelbase?), part / tire availability in less developed countries (where the 29er and 27.5er craze has not replaced it yet).
I imagine a 27/29 would roll a ton smoother tho. But more weight to be pedalled.
Nah, 26 is over.
Excellent video. My Jamis Renegade Elite has the strength and all mounts necessary for minimalist bickpacking as I realized on my recent 825 mile bikepacking adventure from Key West, FL to South Carolina. The bike is rated for 25 lbs on the front and the same on the rear. I had 18 lbs on the rear and 12 lbs on the front of my carbon frame. I weigh 168 lbs. Performed like a champ!!
This was a very interesting, informative and entertaining video on this specialised subject, thank you.
Glad you enjoyed it!
I'd never even heard of bikepacking bikes but I watched this video and now want to get to know all about them. Fantastic.
Once upon a time sports tourer and lightweight tourer were categories/labels in the industry. The bike changes are often branding, labeling and marketing.
Excellent video, just the thing I was looking for
I really enjoyed your video and I learned a lot as I started bicycle touring and bike packing nearly 40 years ago. One thing that was good about bike packing 40 years ago is that there were no rules against it. Some of the places I went are off limits to bicycles now. On the other hand I went some places that were entirely unsuitable for bikes. Yes, the bike packing bikes were shit as they were just mountain bikes with touring racks.
If only I was 30 years younger, those bikes looks amazing...
The best time to start bike touring was 30 years ago. The second best time is now.
Get that touring bike with high handlebar posiotion plus low low gearing, and go...............!
Would be great to do it but, time passed has left its tolls and now bedridden 😢. I’ve still got my MTB which was bought in 1984……nice Saracen ..
Hmm ... don´t know what exactly you mean with "old", but i started such activities last year with 49 :-/
I use a Specialized Crosstrail for cycle touring using panniers and a handle bar mount for my tent and a couple of other items. The first time I rode it loaded, I found an issue where the front suspension fork starts twisting, it can if your not careful develop in to a very serious speed wobble. The other issue is the brakes (rim on this model) despite being well adjusted etc, could not stop the bike when going down a hill.
At rim brakes much depends on the brake pads. I can recommend Kool Stop dual compound brake pads, if you use V brakes, they wear down the rim very little, but offer a good brake performance.
That one topic I was asking for. ) Good job
My pleasure! This has been a very requested topic.
Great touring bike so helpful and very informative well explained I really enjoyed watching keep safe and Godbless
As a beginner starting research on this massive field, I found your video very informative. In the future, it might also be a good idea to explain what the differences between a bikepacking and a touring bike are, in terms of what sorts of journeys they each would be used for.
You can use either bike for either use!
My in the works bikepacking kit uses my Trek Remedy enduro bike. Plan to mostly do shorter trips in the mountains with ultralight hiking gear. Want to try riding a hike I did a few years ago with a couple summits and alpine descents. Very excited to try riding scree with my tubeless downhill tires. Still need to make or purchase a frame bag to work around my rear shock but my triangle is big enough to make it worthwhile, have a sweet roll for the my tent, clothing and sleeping kit. Went for a jerrycan for admin use. Hopefully I can stash my food, camelbak, water purification and cook kit in the frame bag. Trying to avoid a saddlebag and backpack to keep my dropper post useful for comfort and downhill performance.
I bikepack with a XC Hardtail, it’s perfect.
What bike? I'm considering converting an old Trek 4300
@@MediumHalf any modern XC Hardtail will work just finde. I would Think about a 2x in the Front to get more speed and a nice slim tires.
I like how you explain things about cycling. You really deserve more subs.
Many thanks!
Thank you for the video,well researched and valuable points made.
The difference is the marketing mainly. The rest is insignificant and down to preference, what kind of bags you like to carry with you.
Last week I biked upstream the Danube from Vienna to Linz, Austria. I have a 2001 Cannondale F500 that I brought over here from the USA, and made for the occasion into a poor man's touring bike. I live here and it's my daily/weekly steed. Would be super curious to hear some basic talking points about such a decision. I have a Surly rack which I loaded up with at least 30 lbs and camped along the way. I'm not super fit, but managed 85, 75, and 50km per day, respectively over a 3-day period. I know that if I was going to do a proper tour I'd need to invest in some better gear, but I really (really) enjoyed doing it with my existing kit, and in my current Zeitgeist, a hobo travels with what he's got. That being said, I think the aluminum frame is overbuilt for flatland, and the drive train performed just fine. When I look at the bike, I see a shape that resembles modern day gravel bikes more than modern day mountain bikes. In the end, I concluded that the setup I had was actually not so bad for the task. Anywho... enjoying the videos, makes me want to keep putting miles on my bike.... best wishes aus Wien.
Stick with what you got it sounds just right for you.
It's a cool older bike but I would've gotten rid of that suspension fork, it's less that ideal for road touring, especially since it's old. I did my South America tour in 2015 on a 1990 Specialized StumpJumper (Rigid steel fork) but upgraded all of the components, wheels and drivetrain to more modern ones. Geometry wise, those older bikes have decent touring geometry if you put on a tall stem.
The issue with a lot of those older aluminum mtb frames is that they have no mounts compared to newer touring/bikepacking bikes.
@@2WheelsGood.01 Most Cannondales of the era had headshok , suspension you can lock out from the top of the steerer . Other half has one , its been her go to bike for going abroad. They are robust as the suspension is behind a boot and still going strong ( only maintenance is renewing air, o rings and some grease) Bikepacking has changed how people tour, and it’s getting like MTB with all the variations.
@@ronnie8446 after working as a mechanic at one of U.S's biggest Cannondale dealers, I would personally not tour on a suspension bike. It's totally doable, and it can be more comfortable, but I would never want to deal with suspension issues or maintenance, especially in non developed counties. My next touring build will be a rigid steel frame, 650b x 50mm wheels/tires, Rohloff hub.
Perhaps we have been lucky, it's been down the divide to Denver 2 trips to South Chile and Argentina and Kyrgyzstan on the dirt. I have a newer one the touring 26 with headshok a USA 🇺🇸 made one. 😁 Nice bike you are building up.
My bike always hovers somewhere in between a true touring and a true bikepacking setup. Panniers, a frame bag and a handlebar harness are a great combo for my Ogre.
The Ogre is definitely right in the middle of the bikepacking-touring spectrum.
Hey yo bro i like your information , i'm from indonesia i don't really good at speak english but can you explain a bike from indonesia like Polygon / Unite Bike I need To Know If The Bike Really wort To Buy For Touring/backpaking and then the roadbike as well
I am learning so much from your videos... thanks
Thank you, very knowledgeable videos. Awesome bikes as well, but very expensive.
My touring bike is a Surly Big Dummy. Love my longtail! Enjoyed your video very much. Thanks!
Life long racer here. My racing bikes are light and responsive while my Miyata Six-Ten is a classic touring bike which I describe as "the Cadillac." Cadillacs aren't really racing cars ;)
I had a Miyata Professional for 14 years. 3 years of messenger work. Bike camping tours. It did everything.
so many types of bike ... bottom line is whatever makes you happy. nice content !!
Until now, I thought bike packing and bike touring were the same thing... Something new every day :)
They should be the same tbh. There's no way someone goes bikepacking without rear paniers unless it's like a 1 nighter.
I watched the whole thing and still think they are !
Yes apparently you don't really have to be Touring to be Bike Packing. No one said you actually have to go very far or use anything from the bags. So I guess Bike Packing is for people that will not be Touring, just put some bags on the bike and ride around before they go back home.
@@FastBastar most people doing the tour dived don't use panniers and the quickest anyone has done that is 14 days
@@plusbonus1165 Very close for sure. In my interpretation, bikepacking has a sportive background (people extend their sport into an "adventure"), while touring comes from the travel side (people do an adventure and happen to use sports equipment - a bike). The result is similar but IMHO not the same. Watch the excellent video above and you will learn the differences.
I recently have got back into bike riding, and the information you supply is informative and easy to understand. You have even got me thinking about venturing into one or two night bike trip (around Australia of course)🙂🚲
New to the channel and damn, great info! I've been looking for some good urban/touring bike info for some time. Seriously looking at a Koga touring bike. Main qualities I'm looking for is reliability, ease of maintenance, and packability i.e. flights and train rides. Belt drive and Internal hub gearing is so fascinating, wish I had more access to this technology in the US.
It's a long shot, but Maine Bike Works has Rohloff and Pinion gearbox belt demo bikes they let you thrash around on. Otherwise, look for a Co-Motion dealer as they also tend to have Rohloff/Pinion/Gates bikes on the floor.
All this shows there is a lot of interesting ground in between the categories. Finding out where your sweet spot is is key. Carrying more weight is not a goal in itself, and adding unnecessary weight can be avoided. A relatively sturdy but not too heavy bike and relatively light packing, and doing without unnecessary stuff like a bike stand, gets me in the spot where i like to be: light enough to be fun and even do some off-roading when wanted, sturdy enough to pack what's necessary.
There's no difference..its camping, using a bike! Listening to all the bullsh*t just makes you open/more susceptible to all the marketing garbage out there!
Certainly in the Uk there has been the distinction of fast touring or winter bike by traditional frame builders, likey a racing frame with slightly relaxed angles, clearances for mudguards and eyes for rear racks. but strictly for the road.
Touring 👌🏻🚴🏻♂️🏴
Full suspension fat bikes exist too. Where does this put trekking bikes & bikes like the Surly Bridge Club and Kona Sutra ULTD?
Bridge Club is pretty much a perfect touring-bikepacking hybrid. The Sutra ULTD will fall much closer to the bikepacking side of things.
No difference, the only difference is that they want you to buy two different ones.
True
Word
Thank you!
Well Mr. Smarty pants,how the hell else can I charge an extra $1,500 for a bar swap?
Don't exponse them with truth 😂😂😂😂
stop looking at me so arrogant XD That ferrari in the mud video was awesome!
"Bikepacking bike" sounds strange. Like, a bike you use to pack another bike in.
Lmao
@@mnh1270 a backpack goes on your back and a bikepack goes...
@@waltinseattle Yet you don't say "a back backpack". That's his point.
@@nicojar the parallel would be a bike bike pack. whats wrong with pack, pannier, saddlebag(s), , bed roll or bindle? do we really need new words? travoir is probably out of common use so I wont ask about it. just realize that if your trailer looses a wheel thats pretty much what you are left with .
The term is awkward. I've personally taken to calling them camping bikes instead. While you'd usually camp outdoors on longer tours(on or off road), calling it a camping bike emphasizes the typical off road use and configuration. At least in USA the connotation would be clear. It seems as the lines continue to blur, bikes may start to be categorized by the total weight rating vs a designated use.
I have a gravel bike which I initially set up for bike packing, but have since added front and rear racks and (gravel) panniers. I keep the weight of the front panniers to a minimum, as the carbon fork really isn't appropriate for this kind of load bearing.
Experience in every sentence.
Hello! thank you for your videos, they motivated me to make my first video and create a TH-cam channel!
touring (as light as possible on a tandem)
thank for the video. now I know the different use of two bikes...
It is not true, that bikepacking bikes are mainly used for shorter trips. People use them for racing self-supported races across continents - this is becoming more and more popular - often riding more than 4-5000 km as one long timetrail. Like the Trans American Bike Race (US), Trans Continental Race (EUR) and Indian Pacific Wheel Race (AUS). Hardly no one would ever use a touring bike for these races. They are simply too heavy. I personally use a 1x titanium gravelbike with drops and triathlon bars - and it has a SON dynamo hub to charge bike computer and smartphone. After trying bikepacking and getting ultralight tent, sleeping bag etc., I do not think I would ever go back to the big panniers - even if just touring. I can have my entire sleeping arrangement in my front bag and it weighs only 1350 g - and less if I only bring a bivy bag. Clothes go on the rear bag. Spareparts, phone, extra powerbank, food, ultralight towel etc. in the frame bag. Dynamo hub charger in the toptube bag. More food in the food pouches on the handlebar.
can you set up an adult tricycle for touring
Best option: steel frame classic 26" mountain bike with 3x9 or 3x10 gear and classic panniers. Absolutely tested and reliable, easily replacing parts all over the world, frame easy to repair, geometry perfect both for road or offroad terrain, tires from 1" to 2.3", gear ready for 55 km/h or for the steepest offroad terrain... Classic panniers allow to fast access to anything, with no hundred narrow bags all over the bike...
Sorry to burst you bubble, I've been touring around north,central and south america on a 3x9 11-36 cassette Surly Troll for over 2.5 years now and I'm in Mexico now and I can tell you that 26" anything is absolutely obsolete! Dead!
It has been a nightmare.
I can find zero parts for it, anywhere.
Definitely forget tires.Literally nothing anywhere.
Traditional wisdom is gone out the window, China has flooded the market with 27.5/29" everything and that's what killed the 26" anything over the last 5+ years.
Seriously ,everything I have for my bike I had to buy off Amazon and luckily had it within 4 days.
I've spent days and more than a week looking for what was considered simple parts "easily" found :shifters,cassettes,chains,tires,disc rotors 160mm,BB,brake pads,etc...Nada! Super frustrating.
I can't buy a new bike now but I will sell this 26" 3x9 Troll in a flash the first chance I get. You can get everything for it online still. Maybe in Europe too where people still ride 26" bikes. My friends who toured 10+ years ago are mind blown about this change.
Good luck!
@@alwayslearning7672 Interesting comment. What's wrong with getting things off the internet?
Another strategy is finding used parts locally. I see 26" wheels and tires all over the place in California - flea markets, garage sales, thrift stores, bike co-ops, etc. Often in excellent condition. Same with components. Many shops and co-ops have parts bins.
And there are people selling all these things on eBay.
If you go with reliable components, and treat them well, there shouldn't be a lot of need for replacements.
When something like a tire or chain looks like it will need replacing soon, you can order or replace it in advance.
My (admittedly limited) experience with a small-frame 26-er (vintage Gary Fisher Hoo Koo e Koo) was that it was difficult to fit the pannier bags far back enough that my heels wouldn't clip the pannier bags. On a multi-day tour, that would get a bit tiresome, as well as wearing out shoes and bags.
@@davidrowe8747 Some vintage mountain bikes had longer stays. Bikeforums.net has a touring forum (or sub-forum) that has threads, including a sticky, on mountain bike conversions (to touring bikes).
Some 80s bikes had very long chainstays (Specialized Stumpjumpers, for one example - there were many others). Some were medium-long, but still long enough to avoid heal strike.
Now I'm never gonna forgot it
Great video 👌✨
6:52 the femtometer space between rear tire and seat tube makes me anxious.
I make a refreshing to my bike, i change the tire, the space on mine become like in picture.
Is it good or bad in your opinion?
@@GabrieLight Ride in mud? Bad damage. Ride in dust? Fine.
@@marcalvarez4890
👍👌
for people with balance and problems can you use a cruiser with step through for bike packing and touring
Seriously drool-worthy bikes you're showing off in the video.
(There are some seriously heated replies to this video --- relax guys)
@Toographictosayontelevision You think you're better than me???? Meet me outside. NOW!
With a 2 x or 3 x I just need to drop the chain into the next lower front chainring to reach for the light gears. This is such a time saver. While a 1x needs to shift the chain up the entire cassette putting much more stress on the drivetrain especially fully loaded. I'll never part with my Shimano XT 2x12. I find the 22/36 front and 10/45 rear setup perfect for climbing steep mountains in the Alps.
I have a Salsa Woodsmoke bikepacking bike.
Besides weekend camping, I’m doing the MT/WY section of the GDMBR in August this year, and plan to do a section of the Mediterranean Route next summer 2021 with the same bike. If COVID cooperates.
atm im going with my Trek 920 sad to see it isnt made anymore as I love it when going touring both on the road and in the offroad singletrack and normally going with 4 panniers I really wanna jump over to the real bikepacking setup but yeah need to cut down some gear first I guess but maybe for the next bike in some years I will do the big shift over
Good and clear information! I interviewed two bike packers and made a video about them on my channel (one cycled from Africa to Europe and one from Belgium to France).. but now I guess that one was bike packing and the other one was bike touring.. I wondered if you'd like to take a look and tell me if you agree with the information they shared 🚲
Wishing you the best!
It's all a bit confusing, to be honest. These days both words are almost used interchangeably.
Normally, "bikepacking" is an off-road trip with wild camping and camp cooking along the way, whereas "bicycle touring" is on-road but you travel along corridors with more services (hotels/campsites/restaurants).
But then, bikepackers may stay in hotels, eat in restaurants... and bicycle tourers ride on dirt roads and wild camp every day! There is an unbelievable amount of crossover.
So, it mostly comes down to equipment. Bikepacking bags are the ones that strap to your bike, and I covered the bike differences in this video. Those two things are more clear.
So, to answer your question - the people you interviewed could really be touring OR bikepacking! But in terms of equipment, the woman had more of a touring bike setup, while the man was more bikepacking.
@@Cyclingabout wow thank you a lot for your kind reply! I guess terminology is always very hard to distinguish ... Thank you for helping me understand the difference better!
Thank you for your contribution to the video, which is very useful to me and answered the questions that I particularly concerned about and must know. I have not found these information on TH-cam and some people gave the wrong ones. thanks again.
Glad it was helpful!
I had a 1989 Miyata 718, partly aluminum/Cro-Mo it was for triathlon's but I used it for general commuting with a rear rack, it was size 56 frame, only 21 lbs, was very nimble but felt almost a little small for me, lots fun to ride it. As it was stolen last summer I bought a hardly used 2009 Trek 520 size 57, 26.5 lbs. without racks it feels bigger than the Miyata and more stable, slowly getting used to it but still miss the Miyata 718. I still have the original tire's on this Trek 520, Bontrager Hard Case Race Lite 700-32. I expect it would be faster with a Continental GP 5000 but for now these tire's are getting used up first. Interesting to learn about the differences between category's, thx!
That weight rating being a floor and not a ceiling gives me a lot more confidence in the DT wheels and building up right now. The rims I'm using have a rated capacity of 130 kg.
"You can however use a lighter built frame and carry a load at just one end" - Why is this? Just because there'll be less weight, or does having the load all one one end cause less stress?
Curious about this too
I'm learning so much from your videos man. Thank you for sharing your knowledge!
Thank you Alee, another encyclopedic installment. Are you planning to do an episode focused on wheels and brakes? If the world ever goes back to some sort of normality that will allow long-distance traveling, I will go for a a touring bike although the weight puts me off at first. But versatility and durability comes first.
I'll be covering wheels soon!
Touring doesn't necessitate riding a slow monstrous bike loaded down to ridiculous levels. My bike + gear ( minus food and water) is typically under 16kg/35lbs for road trips with full camping gear. If you're not carrying massive amounts of stuff your bike can be a thoroughbred vs a pack mule. Backpackinglight.com, bikepacking.net and bikepacking.com are good resources for information on how to reduce your gear weight. Starting out local trips of 1-3 nights are an excellent way to get experience.
Man, I love your thorough explanations, very informative.
I just bought serial 1 rush/ step over ebike, auto gear with gates carbon fiber belt drive. I can use this bike for camping?
Thanks your video.
Very informative, covers a broad spectrum of touring, bike packing options 4 thumbs up!