--- title: "How to get started with bikepacking – a few tips from the road" description: "Tips and advice for everyone puzzling over how to get started with bikepacking. You'll learn how to pack your bike and what you need for your first trip." canonical_url: "https://gramino.com/blog/how-to-get-started-with-bikepacking" last_updated: "2020-10-17" --- # How to get started with bikepacking – a few tips from the road Authors: Tomáš Roztočil Date: 2020-10-17 Tips and advice for everyone puzzling over how to get started with bikepacking. You'll learn how to pack your bike and what you need for your first trip. Bikepacking is a relatively recent addition to the vocabulary of every adventurer who's into cycling, minimalism, and mountains. This revolutionary way of traveling by bike was born alongside the invention of rackless bags, which don't require complicated mounting and sit as close as possible to the bike's center of gravity so they don't affect handling. Bikepackers generally look for the most compact and lightest gear possible – a lightweight bike is a bit like a [lightweight backpack](/c/backpacks) – it takes you further and higher, and lets you enjoy tougher mountain terrain that cyclists lugging trekking bikes loaded down with a full set of bags can only dream of. If you're into cycling, nights under the stars, and want to learn how to prepare for your first bikepacking adventure, you're in the right place. In the lines that follow you'll find a few tips to get you started and practical experience from the road that will make your first bike wanderings easier. It doesn't matter whether you're planning a quick one-night outing or a trip around the world – everyone falls in love with the ease with which bikepacking lets you cover serious ground in no time, and the places a self-sufficient bike can take you. ## **With lightness and a smile** I've always loved hiking in the mountains – who wouldn't be drawn to discovering unfamiliar horizons, views, and quiet evenings by the fire? After starting out with a ridiculously heavy pack – heavy enough to haul a full grocery run of vegetables for potato soup into the hills – I was lucky enough to discover that [the lighter my pack, the freer I feel](/blog/lightweight-hiking-benefits). Thanks to lightweight gear, I can move quickly from well-trodden tourist highways all the way up to mountain ridgelines. Minimalism showed me that you can travel through the mountains with a smile even with a week's worth of gear packed on your back. But you can't live on walking alone, and I've always loved cycling for its speed, dynamics, and above all the distance it can cover, carrying you through the mountains with ease. For a long time, though, the world of multi-day mountain adventures and the world of cycling stayed separate for me, held apart by the image of a clumsy bike loaded down with a pile of giant bags. A bike like that belongs on the road rather than in the forest, and on the road you don't get to enjoy the surrounding mountains much anyway, thanks to the constant battle with ever-denser traffic. I'd made peace with the idea that I'd always have to hike my multi-day treks on foot. *Gramino ambassador, hiker and climber Pavlína Adam* ## **How it dawned on me** My bikepacking enlightenment moment came when I ran into a cyclist on a train who looked like he'd just come back from the depths of hell. After he wiped a thick layer of mud off his face, we got talking, and I finally learned that what he had under his saddle wasn't actually a mudguard caked in clay, but a bag holding everything you need for a week-long trek through the mountains. Add a light bag on the handlebars and maybe one on the frame, and suddenly your mountain bike becomes a machine that can carry you anywhere you dare go – with the right bikepacking gear, you can handle anything from a two-day ride to a months-long expedition with ease. In that moment, the two previously opposed worlds finally clicked together. I got some basic bikepacking gear and decided to put it straight to the test on a week-long trip through the mountains along the northern border of Czechia. Most of all, I learned that getting started with bikepacking isn't rocket science. The most important thing is taking the first step – after that, you're already rolling! - [Sea To Summit Ultra-Sil Dry Bag](/p/sea-to-summit-ultra-sil-dry-bag.md) - [Sea To Summit eVac Compression Dry Bag](/p/sea-to-summit-evac-compression-dry-bag.md) - [Liteway Pyraomm Max Tarp Grey](/p/liteway-pyraomm-max-tarp-grey.md) - [Sea To Summit Stretch-Loc TPU Straps (2 pcs)](/p/sea-to-summit-stretch-loc-tpu-straps-2pcs.md) - [Sea To Summit TPU Guide Waterproof Case](/p/sea-to-summit-tpu-guide-waterproof-case.md) - [Petzl Actik Core 2025](/p/petzl-actik-core.md) - [Flextail TINY Helio 600Z](/p/flextail-tiny-helio-600z.md) ## **Preparing and packing for the trip** With a week on the trail ahead of me, I ruthlessly cut down my entire wardrobe and bike maintenance kit so I could still enjoy the steep climbs and descents on the natural trails my route had plenty of. The result was around 5 kg of gear and clothing, which easily fit into a seatpost bag (the so-called "seatpack") and a [waterproof compression dry bag](/p/sea-to-summit-evac-compression-dry-bag) mounted in a handlebar harness. The harness has the advantage of being stable, and depending on the demands of a specific adventure you can strap almost any bag to it – it'll even carry a [tarp](/c/sleep/tarps), or a bundle of firewood. Personally, under the saddle I carried, among other things, an [inflatable sleeping pad](/c/sleep/sleeping-pads), and on the handlebars a sleeping bag along with my evening clothes. For longer expeditions, a large frame bag for heavier gear is also handy, along with plenty of smaller pockets and accessories that keep everything within reach. For my first trip, though, I decided to go with a real minimum. For your first bikepacking trip, a seat bag, a handlebar bag, and a lightweight backpack for the few small things you want close at hand will be more than enough. The backpack itself is a frequent subject of debate among bikepackers. Bags are carried on the frame precisely so your back can stay free. On a long ride a backpack gives you a sore neck, and your back gets unbelievably sweaty underneath it. On the other hand, you can't do without one on rougher mountain trails, where the bike needs to be as maneuverable as possible and frame-mounted gear could actually get in the way. So I chose a middle path – I took a [minimalist running backpack](/p/montane-trailblazer-8-2024) and packed only the essentials into it. A few snacks to top up my energy, a jacket, a [headlamp](/c/gear/headlamps), and a simple first-aid kit. [DexShell Running Lite Sock 2.0](/p/dexshell-running-lite-sock-2-0.md) ## **The real deal** Before you set out on your first bikepacking trip, make sure to thoroughly test all your gear. Bags need to be packed tight and cinched down firmly against the frame – that's the only way they won't sway or work loose while riding. For the sake of your center of gravity, always pack the heaviest items as close to the bike's frame as possible. If, like me, you get swept up easily in the adventure, I'd recommend always checking before your morning ride that everything is properly closed – that way, unlike me, you won't have to go mushroom-hunting for pieces of your precious gear scattered through the forest after a hard descent (but more on that next time). After a long day in the saddle you need a good night's sleep – the proven combination of a [lightweight down sleeping bag](/c/sleep/sleeping-bags) or [quilt](/c/sleep/quilts) and an inflatable sleeping pad, ideally over a piece of [Tyvek](/p/tyvek-groundsheet-230-x-75-cm), offers the ideal balance of weight and comfort. Especially in the Czech mountains, you'll find some kind of shelter or hut on almost every corner, which saves you space, weight, and a lot of time – and you'll often run into fellow travelers with the same mindset there too. On longer adventures into more remote areas, though, you can't do without a quality [tarp or tent](/c/sleep/tents). On a long ride through the rain, you'll appreciate a nice feature like [waterproof socks](/c/clothing/waterproof-socks). They'll keep your feet from freezing even through endless descents in icy rain. If you really want to enjoy the ride, all your clothing and bikepacking gear should be as light and packable as possible. At the same time, it shouldn't leave you in the lurch when it unexpectedly turns cold up on a ridge. ## **A few practical tips to start and end with** I'll cover the trip itself and what I learned from it in another article. But to wrap up this one, I'd like to add a few tips I picked up on my first longer bikepacking trip that can save you a lot of unnecessary hassle. Wrap a few meters of all-purpose duct tape around your bike frame, or a lighter. It works better than black magic. Legend has it you can even mend a broken heart with it – or at least a bike frame. Don't forget to preventively wrap tape around all the cable housings on your handlebars and any other components and frame spots that come into contact with your bags – that way you'll avoid unnecessary wear and chafing. Dive into the secrets of the local cuisine wherever you're riding. Even if you're normally into light backpacking food, after a 10 km climb all you'll be able to think about is a hearty bowl of goulash or a plate of dumplings. A filling yet light and packable dinner away from civilization is reliably solved by, for example, [freeze-dried meals](/c/cooking/food). Don't underestimate planning, but don't shy away from adventure either. When you see a turnoff onto a tempting trail, don't resist – let yourself get swept up and enjoy the adventure to the fullest, because that's why you set out in the first place. The road will always take you exactly where it's meant to… sometimes you'll go further, sometimes a storm or a pub will stop you in your tracks. But the main thing is that you're riding! ## **Get pedaling!** Bikepacking was love at first sight for me, and my first trip showed it might just be for life. So how did my trip actually turn out? For starters, I'll tell you I experienced everything that belongs to a proper bikepacking adventure – I outran a storm, ate roast chicken, waded across a river, met the best fellow travelers, got cursed out by scouts, got lost, and eventually made it to the finish. But more on that next time. Now you know everything you need to set out on your first bikepacking trip. All that's left is to pack up and start pedaling. The click of a freehub carries across an empty mountain trail – as the sun sets I ride down to bed down somewhere sheltered from the wind… and already the hills are calling me back. So come with me. This is only the beginning! **Article author: Tomáš Roztočil** ## You might also like - [Gramino AURA Pouch](/p/gramino-aura-pouch.md) - [Gramino Ultralight Waterproof Backpack Liner](/p/gramino-ultralight-waterproof-backpack-liner.md) - [Sea To Summit Hydraulic Packing Cube](/p/sea-to-summit-hydraulic-packing-cube.md) - [CNOC Vecto 2 L 42 mm](/p/cnoc-vecto-2-l-42-mm.md) - [Sea To Summit Nano Mosquito Headnet](/p/sea-to-summit-nano-mosquito-headnet.md) - [Liteway Wash Bag](/p/liteway-wash-bag.md) - [Katadyn BeFree AC 1 L](/p/katadyn-befree-ac-1-l.md) - [Darn Tough Men's Hiker 1/4 Midweight](/p/darn-tough-hiker-1-4-midweight-mens.md) - [Darn Tough Women's Hiker 1/4 Midweight](/p/darn-tough-hiker-1-4-midweight-womens.md) - [DexShell Ultra Thin Crew](/p/dexshell-ultra-thin-crew.md) - [Liteway Pokkie Pack](/p/liteway-pokkie-pack.md) - [Sea To Summit Ultra-Sil Dry Bag](/p/sea-to-summit-ultra-sil-dry-bag.md) - [Kula Cloth](/p/kula-cloth-pee-cloth.md) - [Gramino SagiFlow](/p/gramino-sagiflow-ultralight-bidet.md) This post is also available as [HTML](/blog/how-to-get-started-with-bikepacking). ## Sitemap See the full [sitemap](/sitemap.md) for all pages.