Why Is Bikepacking Hard?
Vložit
- čas přidán 8. 06. 2024
- You can find a nearly endless stream of inspiring content on our website and elsewhere online, but there's often an untold struggle behind the picture-perfect scenes. Bikepacking can be a real challenge, especially when you're ill-prepared or bite off more than you can chew. In this video, Neil breaks down some common bikepacking pitfalls and shares helpful ideas for avoiding and overcoming them.
This video was supported by Surly Bikes - Learn all about Surly and their lineup here: surlybikes.com?.com&
Outline:
Intro: 0:00
Biking is hard: 1:46
Equipment Challenges: 3:53
Planning takes time: 5:36
Route Challenges: 6:34
Mental Struggle: 8:33
Related Links:
BIKEPACKING 101 - bikepacking.com/bikepacking-101/
WAYS TO ATTACH WATER BOTTLES AND ADD CAGE MOUNTS TO YOUR BIKE - bikepacking.com/index/add-cag...
BIKEPACKING HACKS: 3 DIY SEAT PACKS - bikepacking.com/plan/bikepack...
BIKEPACKING HACKS: BUDGET & DIY HANDLEBAR BAGS - bikepacking.com/plan/diy-hand...
SMALL BIKE, BIG ADVENTURES: A BIKEPACKING GUIDE FOR SHORTER RIDERS - bikepacking.com/plan/bikepack...
TRAINING TIPS FOR BIKEPACKERS - bikepacking.com/plan/training...
Do you enjoy our videos, routes, and articles? Help sustain this resource by joining the Bikepacking Collective: bikepacking.com/join/?...
#bikepacking #pedalfurther
-------------
::About The Host::
Neil Beltchenko ( / neil_beltchenko )
Geometry: 150lbs, 5'9.5", 32" inseam
Wearing: Escalator Marion Henley, Size: Small, Coloraway: Ceder Heather - www.kitsbow.com/collections/m... - Sport
![Eminem - Houdini [Official Music Video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/22tVWwmTie8/mqdefault.jpg)
This video was supported by Surly Bikes - Learn all about Surly and their lineup here: surlybikes.com?.com&
A tip that helped me with the mental game: Remember throughout the day to get off the damn bike and appreciate your surroundings. Getting miles in is good, but if it was just about miles you might as well be riding something with a motor.
I recently finished a 4 day, 200 mile trip with 15000 feet of climbing that was partially supported. My seventh multi day bikepacking trip. It kicked my butt and I wondered if I would want to do it again. Two days of recovery I was making plans to do it again. Start slow, maybe rail trails. If I can do it at 70 there might be hope for others to give it a go. Take care and pack light.
haha yep, 69 here, and off-road bikepacking for 50 miles at altitude is a lot different than road touring trips from town to town. First bike tour was 1983, these days I love rail trails.
Inspiring!!
You probably already know this but here goes: Cold exposur, like showers or baths, speed up recovery a lot! So does eating plenty of protein, and having a long night's sleep.
You touched on the mental struggle. Yep, the struggle is real. However, to me, the battle is totally worthwhile. Prior to bikepacking, I was struggling with anxiety and depression and my mental health seemed to be getting worse year by year. Once I started getting out on the trail I found my mind was concentrating on all those little problems you mentioned in the video. So much that I forget to be anxious or depressed. It was a bit like mindfulness exercises or meditation. By taking myself to a different state of consciousness I worried less about all those anxiety triggers. I was away from the newsfeeds and the daily diet of frustrating incidents around home. I spent less time speaking negatively to myself. I also had lots of fun and experienced waves of endorphins. I became fitter. I came back physically tired but mentally refreshed. Bikepacking is good for your mental health.
I know, I know: One should start bikepacking with an overnighter and then work up to things more demanding. But I, being a complete contrarian, decided at 62---I am now 69---that my first bikepacking journey would be a solo ride through Oklahoma, New Mexico, Texas and Colorado. So I set off on my Surly Ogre with tent, stove, Delorme maps, Candian Mist and my two friends Smith and Wesson. 1600 miles later I had lost 25 pounds and had found a new addiction: bikepacking. I leave for Texas and parts yonder in December if my body holds up! Great video Neil.
I thinknthats a great way to go , as long as your mentally resolute, which incidently one toughens up with practice. . One can spend all yer time building fitness , lookin at bikes and gear and not end up going . Your way is the best way me thinks :)
Neil hit the nail on the head when he said keep it simple start small. I just started bikepacking late this summer just doing overnighters. I have three National Forest Campgrounds and one County Campground all within 30 miles, (and that is if I take the long way to get to some of them) from my front door. The beauty of this for me is with the National Forest Campgrounds having first come first serve sites I can always find a site especially during the middle of the week without having to make prior reservations. Plus they all supply water sources so I don't have to worry about packing in tons of water which equals to tons of extra weight. I can wake up in the morning check the weather forecast and literally decide at that moment whether or not I want to go bikepacking that day! I've done four overnighters so far and each and every time I learn something new about how to more efficiently pack my bike and weeding down my gear selection choices. I do have prior backpacking experience but find bike packing a whole different animal in a lot of respects. I'm not doing nothing extreme by any means but I'm having a blast!
IMHO it takes many years of riding a bike on a regular basis to get your leg muscles in condition and maintain endurance/strength in knees. You can't just hop on a bike after being a couch potato for years and years and then expect to ride outside like a professional racer. I keep several bikes and rotate them on a regular basis, one of them is an e-bike but I don't use this exclusively as the expense of the other regular pedal-only bikes. I have one 3-speed and another one laced with a Nuvinci hub. All of them have their own characteristics, advantages and disadvantages. The main thing is to keep riding so your leg muscles don't atrophy. I prefer internal gear hubs since they tend to reduce maintenance of transmission hardware in the long term.
Bikepacking is hard. I'm glad to see this video helping people to adjust their expectations.
I've been sort of officially bikepacking for about eight or nine years. Prior to that, I have backpacked and bike toured for many more years.
It seems many people watch videos on CZcams and think, "I can do that!", without considering their fitness, experience, and abilities in relation to the people presented in the video.
Neil, for example, has a level of fitness and ability most of us will never achieve. No criticism of Neil intended. He does a great job on these videos and I enjoy watching them. But I just know from experience that I would not enjoy riding the Colorado Trail, even at a slower pace, and certainly would not enjoy racing on it. Many sections of the trail are difficult to impossible to ride, even without bags. Add that extra weight and the trail turns into long sections of hike-a-bike. A few years ago I witnessed the winner of the Colorado Trail race throw his bike to the ground at the finish and declare the trail to be too hard, too much hike-a-bike, and that he would never ride it again! I guess it just depends on how much type 2 fun you can tolerate.
As Neil points out, you can, however, enjoy bikepacking if you have realistic expectations. Do short trips to figure out your abilities and your gear. Try to find areas with easier terrain and trails to start with. Forest service roads are more than adequately challenging for most of us. Single track, while fun for day rides, begins to challenge even the fittest riders when you add the weight of bags and maybe have less than realistic expectations of doable mileage.
But the pleasure of riding through long sections of forest and other lightly used areas can be a great reward for the effort!
Another thing I'd recommend is to keep reminding yourself that it isn't a race - assuming it actually isn't a race that is ;)
You are riding for pleasure and the chances are you are riding somewhere beautiful so remember to enjoy it and take it at your own pace. Don't be afraid to stop for a rest if you find a good view or stop for a dip if you find an unexpected lake.
If you just put your head down and try to get from A to B as fast as you can you will miss many of the things that drew you out in the first place and will likely burn yourself out before the end. There is no shame in cutting a route short if you find that your daily mile target was unreasonable and I'd say that to enjoy 2/3 of a route and live to come back and finish it another time is better than grinding through the whole route in a haze of exhaustion and chaffing.
The best way to make bikepacking easy(er) is to just ride your own ride, at your own pace to your own milestones.
Happy riding all :)
agreed, sometimes hardest thing to remember is to stop and enjoy it, instead of focusing on riding to the end
I went from not riding a bike for nearly 25 years. Got a bike just to commute a few miles. Then maybe a few extra miles at the weekend.
My first bike packing I thought about riding 220 miles in 3 days. But quickly realised I needed something smaller and achievable.
So decided to ride a 120miles round trip over 2 nights.
It was 1 of the hardest but most satisfying things I've done. Already planning my next year's adventure.
If you are thinking about bikepacking, start small, buy what you can afford and have a go. Fight through those anxious moments which you will get, it'll be worth it
Totally agree. There are many ways to have fun. Months ago I found a collection on Komoot of the European Divide Trail - man what a route! 7.500km ride - awesome and what an adventure. But I probably never will have time to do it. So I splitted it up to my needs - 2 days in a row starting in the north of Germany and get home by train again. And I had it all - wrong sleeping bag which was too cold for the time of year (10°C bag, outside it was 2°C), learned to make hot bottles in the night, ripped tire after 8km of ride with inflating every 10km for the next 80km, blocked trails.
Now I nearly reached the border of my country - and I wouldn't miss a minute of all of this.
I learned a lot, I know now what I need and want. And I never had so much fun! Yes, not everything works out, but hey - it no shame to break up a ride as long you're okay with it!
Thanks for sharing all those videos, experience and thoughts, Neil (and of course to the team behind this site )! I'm 55 years and my adventure just has started!
Hey Thomas. Im throwing myself in the deep end this year and doing a very long trip. The first part of the trip is between Cologne and Switzerland on the EDT. If you have any advice for this section of the route I would be glad to hear it. I will be quite heavily loaded probably 😅 cheers
Great topic. BTW, I’m still disenchanted with how the bike industry is so stubborn with those road-centric drivetrains on supposedly bikepacking gravel/drop bar bikes. Can’t imagine off-road bikepacking on those high gear ranges in hilly regions…
As someone who has never done 1 single bikepacking ride, but I'm getting ready to do one within a few weeks, this is great info. Thank you for making and posting this video!
This video was made for you! Have a blast out there.
Good luck, you'll learn as you go, as i did.
Happy trails, go slow and easy. FUN is operative word.
Thanks for making this! I just started making adventure films and I'm planning out 2023 and want to do a bikepacking trip. After watching this I'll do a small local trip and then go bigger on the second. Thanks again!
Neil, I've found trips out from home and coming back to camp in the back yard to be a great no risk way of helping to sort out your set-up.
Thanks for all the interesting content, has been great to see all the various ways of getting kitted out.
Brilliant tip!
My first trip was to a park 12 miles from home, split gear up between wife and my bikes, I carried tent, my sleeping bag, my clothes, and some backpacking meals, she carried, clothes, sleeping bag, water filter and backpack stove, both had 4 water bottles and she also had Bushpot of mine, 1 night and rode back next day, was fun
Love this!
Have been building myself up for a bikepacking trip for a while but never felt comfortable jumping in to it on my own. Was lucky to have a local group, lead by peeps that make my awesome bike. They organised a really local bikepacking trip for newbies, and threw in some very experienced bikepackers and ultra racers to help out. We rode about 15 miles to our overnight camp, setup, had food. sat around sharing stories and bikepacking tips. next morning we broke camp, had a coffee and breakfast then headed back to our start point, 15 miles away. The experience gave me so much confidence to build on, so yeah, start small, and build up is sound advice. Am going to do a few mmore local overnighters and see where that takes me!
Harder achievment gives greater satisfaction ! 🙂
I have been riding my Surly ECR bike packing for 7 years now and love it.
Great video. My thoughts: 1). seat comfort is a huge problem for vast numbers of riders. Part of this is conditioning, part of it is the industry speccing crap seats on bikes. Good seats are often horribly expensive. 2). It takes so much riding to be fit. If you run for an hour a day you're a pretty great runner. If you ride for an hour a day, you're barely scratching the surface unless it's all hills. Most people just don't have the time to train in order to make decent length trips a semi-enjoyable experience. 3). The "second day" heartbreak. It's not what you can do on day one that counts. It's what you can do on day 2. Even very unfit people can knock out impressive distances on day 1, but they are absolutely blown out on day 2. This realization breaks a lot of people's hearts who thought they were fit because they road a half century one day last week. You have to realize how much you have to cut back day 1 so that day 2 (and 3 and 4) are not nightmares. My first day 2 nearly made me sell my bike.
That's such good advice. I trained Army cadets for 35 years and the second night in a basher was always the toughest. It seems after 2,3 or more days bikepacking with sensible mileage, one also achieves a 'match fitness'.
I don't plan bikepacking but I can definitely see the difficulty and even danger in it. I've ridden long rides enough and have been under prepared that I know what bonking is like. I've also brought too little clothes and then shivered for hours after a rain in the summer. So definitely do those small trips that have some services close by. You don't want to be stranded somewhere bonked with no food or close to hypothermia where there are absolutely no-one nearby. Because you'd have to call someone for help and hope they get there in time.
As always...great content Neil! Rails to Trails are a great route option for newbies as well. Slight railway elevations, small towns/villages every few miles, and well kept trail beds. It's also way easier to plan for a motel/B&B every third or fourth night to recharge. Thanks for this channel, and keep on keepin on!
Neqly Bikepacked a few times now and have always found myself gravitating towards a hotel room or nice campsite on the 2nd or third day after sleeping wild . Makes a big difference
I biked 125 miles from DC to Cape Henlopen State Park, Delaware, next to the beach, camp ground, amenities included. This was in '81, on a mid level lugged steel road bike, drop handlebars, 36 spoked wheels, fenders, rear rack and handlebar bag. Well, the two panniers, tent and sleeping back over the rear wheel nicely balanced the handlebar bag in front in which I carried a heavy 35 mm film camera with three lenses. Total baggage was 80 pounds. Gears 52/42 in front, 13-28 in back.
I worried about handling the added weight, but was surprised it wasn't slowing me down except on the climbs, and even then only slightly slower than unloaded. The inertial mass of those 80 pounds smoothed out the ride like a cushy shock absorber.
Well, I took bike paths and main roads with paved shoulders out of the DC suburbs and found myself on Governor's Bridge Road, a narrow two lane blacktop all the way to Annapolis, about 35 miles, paralleling the interstate, with hardly any car traffic. The road was laid before motorized vehicles, perfect for bicycling. John Wilkes Booth allegedly fled on it after assassinating Lincoln. It had been graded and paved so many times, on either side were tree lined banks 4 feet high. It was much like the farm to market roads in East Texas where I also explored for a few years, roads that went from town to town through pristine countryside, populated with sleepy dogs. Chasing a cyclist makes their day.
Out west, there are lots of long dirt roads that go into the outback through untouched wilderness and the splendid majesty of nature. Back east, there are old roads like Governor's Bridge Road, full of fascinating history, bringing back life as it was generations ago, history of simpler times still on the grid, but providing pleasures totally missed on the interstates. People along the way are friendly and accommodating, a culture totally missed in rest stop on the interstates.
There's nothing quite like being 125 miles away from home without a car, silently moving through the world outside the metal box, on two wheels under my own physical power the whole way. I bought a foam cooler and a bag of ice to hold food that would cook on the MSR WhisperLite back packing stove. Ramen noodles, chicken, and green pepper never tasted so good. Without leaving civilization, cycling slowed the pace of life the way it used to be in the past. It gave me a real sense of perspective long forgotten. Surly Bikes are the best, but I did it on an inexpensive road bike with rack, panniers, and 28 mm tires. And the bike made it through hellacious rain storms on the way there and on the return.
I felt no need to train for this trip, because I wasn't interested in working my ass off, just getting there, advice I'd give any bike packer. Take your time. Enjoy the scenery. Appreciate the lay of the land. Stop and eat all you want at the local restaurant. The second day, you'll recover. The third day the bike disappears beneath you. This isn't escaping civilization, but dealing with it on an entirely new level.
... do not get over ambitious with yourself
... Let the body dictate possible route changes
... You MUST be able to fix your bike on your own
Very great video topic !!!!
extremely valuable and inspiring! thanks a million bro
Type 2 fun for sure. That's what keeps you coming back.
Thanks for all the tips! I'm going on one of my first proper tours on Iceland''s ring road in June. Good reminder to start prepping now with some over-nighters.
This is great--wish I'd had this to share with a friend before taking him on his first trip on the Vapor Trail route last summer! He's super fit but failed to set expectations and prepare correctly and ended up hating it. Bummer indeed!
WOW you are FREAKIN NUTS :P a Double DIAMOND *7* for a 1st time BIIKEPACKING???? The FIRST PIC I SEE of that "VAPOR TREAIL" lOOks to me LIKE THE EDGES of THE GATES OF HELL :O OOOPS, SALIDA COLORADO - IF YOU Freaquenty RIDE THERE YOU ARE DEFINITELY WAY OVER "average"!!!! I am QUESTIONING THE 2-4 day for a 1st TIME :( BACKYARD 1st TIME CAMPER ... LOL .... I rode AMTRAK from Seattle to Orange County, CA in 2012 with MY BIKE & BAGS .... About a WEEK LONG BIKEPACKING TRIP ... Even SLEPT in the BEACH Bathrooms 1 NIGHT :D
NO 1st TIMER should EVER GO ON A ֍ DOUBLE ♦♦7 TRAIL ֎ WOW!!!
Wish I'd seen this before my first bikepacking trip! My first one was completed in early summer this year, 2 neighbors of mine and myself did the Oregon outback Trail! Way to much for my first go but kept at it best I could, ended up tapping out around 250 miles. After a month or so of recovery, We've set our sights on next years trip! In my training for next year I will be adding the last 190ish miles left from the tail end of the Oregon Outback trail, I will finish it!!
well told brother. i like to take it slow while packing and enjoy the ride. and of course go as light and simple as practical. i love the feeling of self propulsion and the distance that can be covered. thank you for the content and routes
Did my first bikepacking trip recently. Connected 2 of my favorite regular trails, extended passed it further to make 50 miles and “camped” in my friend’s basement. Then I just biked home the next day! Successful, easy first trip on familiar territory.
I started bikepacking with a short route, thank you for the video, very inspiring.👍
Such a good video ! THANKS for saying this outlaid.
If you're a newbie to bikepacking and you're going with your wife or girlfriend especially, definitely start off small. Maybe just 1 or 2 nights over a weekend. It took my wife a couple of multi day adventures to get used to extra weight with bags, finding a comfortable saddle(!!) for hours on the bike, knowing what to take and expect. After 3 smaller trips, we then did a 14day bikepacking adventure in NZ's Sth Island.
Neil’s quickly becoming able to transition to dateline NBC with those tonal changes and open-ended questions 👌.
Very good video fir aspiring old newbies like me who has been drawn to a bike packing challenge with some reservations on when where, how and “if” I can do it. Thx for the time spent explaining all you know. Very helpful.
Biting off too much on my first trip is why I want and need to go as much as possible. 570 miles in 5 days first trip on the TransVirginia, solo. I love Bikepacking and go as often as I can. Turns out type 2 fun is my favorite fun. Love the channel and thanks for spreading the info.
For me, simply put, one of the most significant "planning challenges" is finding food on the road that is gluten-free, due to having Celiac. Sadly, many parts of the US, especially in rural areas, restaurants just haven't kept up with the times and still don't offer GF dining options, other than a salad and who can do a bikepacking trip strictly eating salad for dinner, nor do I want to eat a steak every night either. At least on your WI bikepacking adventure, The Rivers Eatery offers GF pizza options.
Start small is great advice. It has taking me a month after my first go at it to want to try again. I wanted what I see on the internet right off the bat. Listen to Neil and keep it simple as a beginner. 😁
Thanks for all the great videos and info Neil. Cheers.
Great overview Neil! Thanks.
I love distance both on bike and hiking in the backcountry, it does something for your soul
This was an enjoyable reminder of when I first started bike touring. My first overnighter got pushed back a day because when I initially attempted to set off from home, my poor aluminum rack was swaying back and forth with every pedal stroke. The stated weight-limit for the rack was evidently a bit generous and I had no doubt gone beyond even the stated limit.
This was very informative and quite helpful. Neil is a good ambassador for the endeavor. As of yet I've only done overnighters, mostly solo and some with another friend. They have been great fun, manageable and excellent opportunities to fine tune your packing and expectations. It's very similar to bike touring except you see animals alive instead of squashed. You are the traffic instead of the obstacle. it is hard, but weights are heavy and rock climbing is scary. Yet people do all that stuff too.
Another great, concise video. I'm not sure I'd ask why bikepacking is hard-- I ask why bikepacking is challenging. B/c some trips are easy and not strenuous and party pace and still require almost all of the aspects you covered. And for those of us looking for more challenging trips, hard is more fun because there's just so much more of it. There's nothing like riding lots of miles/tough/Bplan route and then finally declaring camp and sitting down to soak it in.
Excellent advice Neil , thanks!
Great video been riding since April… just did my first overnighter a variation of the Wilson’s ramble! Thanks for being such a fantastic resource!
Thanks for your videos, you said it, start small, plan enough and keep dreaming big, add days to your adventures, what a reward when you finish 💪😊👍
Was dying when you mentioned the down trees. 💀💀💀
right on! there are a lot of gumption traps out there, for me the mental part is at play in each of the aspect of planning and committing. let alone leaving home and getting after it. great show concept. for me, living in the west, the most inspiring show you've done was the return to northern Wisconsin on the water falls trail. a place I knew years ago when I first got into bike touring. overnights to amazing power spots along Lake Superior & an over whelming sense of freedom. thanks for your educational motivational productions.
Such a great video!!! And yes, bikepacking is crazy addictive
Totally agree!
Thank you for this video :) It is realistic and encouraging.
That's a great video! Thank you :)
This video is A+! Thanks
My biggest issue is balancing life's responsibilities and trips. A couple of times I've been doing all of my packing the night before. Rushing, rushing, rushing... Really put me in a bad headspace for the rides starting out.
Cardinal rule for me is that less than a week after I get home, gear is all broken down and organized in bins, ready to be packed up again.
I also remember hearing the slogan on hiking channels, "hike your own hike". I've adopted "ride your own ride".
Everything is outside, in nature. If logistics allow 20 miles a day so you can have lazy mornings, long breaks, plenty of sunlight at the next stop to make camp... Take that ride every once and a while. Sometimes doing a chunk of a loop as a there and back fits what you're looking for from the ride a bit better. Sometimes it lets you choose the quality of ride over the quantity of miles. It's also an easy way to plan a back up in case you can't lay down the miles.
And the number 1 thing that improves my trips, always try and park at the end of the longest road bomb you can find on the route🤣🤣
Coming out of the monumental loop, I swear I didn't pedal for like half an hour. I remember that almost more than burning my lips to a crisp because I wasn't applying enough lip balm🤣🤣
I never even camped or bikepacked before taking on 1,700 miles of the GDMBR. There’s one (not so?) obvious thing that you briefly mentioned that helped me tremendously to take on and really enjoy the experience: bikepack with a group of mature, supportive friends or like-minded folks. So - critical part of prep has to be - spend the time here and there before the trip to develop rapport with your group!
Great video. True! Challenges are good. Start slow and work your way up. Along the way you will make friends and form your own CLICK group. I'm a old hiker/backpacker. All those hard traveled miles to get to that location! NOW you have to make it back! Many of my best friends I've met in the club or along the trails. Looking at getting into bike camping/touring. Ride on!
This is great. Everyone starting out should have a look.
Such great info!
Definitly start small and do trips from your home!
One challenge I find with starting small is that it often feels like there is the same amount of planning and preparation involved whether you are doing a shorter or a longer trip. That is probably one of the reasons why I don't really do weekend trips (even though I would like to), since I often feel there is too much planning involved for the time spent on a bike. It was much easier for me to begin the planning for my 4-day trip a year ago and the 7/9-day trip this summer, since I knew I was getting a lot of riding done for the "upfront cost" of looking at maps, planning meals, testing the tent, packing the bags, buying rations etc.
Of course, some might say that 350 km and 600 km *is* starting small compared to the great divide trails, but I think that really depends on your expectations and how much time you could realistically set aside for it.
I don't think I've ever seen Surly sponsor a YT video. Cool to see.
This channel has all kinds of ways to do bikepacking that's comfortable, safe, sturdy, more than adequate and affordable -- even cheap. The hard part is being prepared once you're equipped. Those mental challenges and missteps mentioned in this video. The world of bicycling is a constant exhortation to get yourself expensively equipped with spectacular refinements. That's hard to do. And it favors people who defend against their own self-doubt by being richly and exquisitely refined. It favors snobs. The snob-equipped side of bikepacking is hard. Getting to a campsite where all the bikepackers are grouped together is an opportunity to share things about the ride so far and about the road just around the bend, so that everyone can have a better experience beyond. When everyone else at the campsite is snob-equipped it's a cold place for a merely sturdy bikepacker to be, even in August. They freeze you out while dropping hints about what excellent equipment means to being worthy. That's hard. Your trusty unspectacular bike and gear have you prepared for all the hazards except that one.
@HuskyOps Picture yourself as a crew member who did a pretty good job on a movie that did well. (You’ve worked hard on lots of other things where the movie just did okay. No prob.) This movie got great reviews and made big box-office. So you’re brought along on some gala things in Hollywood.
You’re elbow-to-elbow with famous faces - some of whom haven’t had a success for quite a long time. Some are the hottest thing in town. It’s always that way at that kind of party.
While you’re standing there, wondering where a particular famous actor you’re talking to has been lately, you realize that of all the people in the room, this celebrity is chatting you up about what it’s been like on the set lately. Shop talk. This person has made you feel right at home. A big relief.
Because earlier, when you came in, you had run into one of the new faces in town, who thought it was funny to ask you, “Who invited you?” A bunch of well-dressed B-list people laugh. They like seeing the fresh new face being a snob. The kidder didn’t mean to be a snob; feels embarrassed and slinks away.
You could say the party was a lesson in the difference between A) getting creative things done and B) just looking the part. That’s the way I understand that scene.
People in “Tinsel Town” understand how snobbery works, intimately. In every aspect. People in bicycling are somewhat less aware.
Great video 🖤 thanks
Just finished half of the Alta via del monti liguri and your spot on with the expectation comment and knowing when to alternate and have different plans. I knew this route would be hard. But, after 250km and 10000 meters of climbing which is basically just hike a bike up and hike a bike down I'm heading to finish the rest of my tour in Corsica and Sardinia. I enjoy single track, but this trail seems like it would be better to hike.
I like hard. I like the change of pace and scenery. I like doing hard stuff because it gives me a break from all the people who don't.
thanks Neil great advice as always, i'm working on my wild hair as I type this, great stuff
Great video man. I really enjoy your content. I'm a nervous noob.
great video!
Thanks!
I’m starting with a Burley Nomad trailer, at a State Park, at a hike-in primitive site (no water or electric), but facilities within a mile at the main part of the campground. Going with a cargo trailer because my current bike doesn’t have many places to put bags (“retro” mountain bike). It will be an “easy” way to prove out my gear, food, and water with a relatively “easy out” if it doesn’t work out.
Good list, here's a mind dump a reaction:
Front shock, seatpost shock, ability to see front wheel, 3 bottles on the frame +4 more, water purifier, no load up front in deep gravel & sand, a rear rack is easier/faster to pack use 2 tangs, for hike-a-bike it rolls on the rear wheel with the load, don't use your front brake much.
I did most tours pre-planned for archeology & geology eastern Cascades south us395, BurningMan in a pluvial lakebed the strand lines of its lake have habitation sites, birds & fish, rabbits for fur coats, NDNs left footprints in WhiteSandsNP 21ky-23ky ago ...
Go for it, plan ahead, leave more behind, food & drink are heavy, layer city, camping change to dry clothes back to wet to travel, same for hiking, ears pick up cars well move over by habit, solid rear light in bad weather is seen farther.
Every day are moments, you do a lot of thinking ...
Ymmv 🍺
Bikepacking is hard, but there's just a draw to it that keeps me wanting more. It's a bit of a bummer that it's going into winter here and there won't be any more bikepacking trips, but it's already got me thinking of what I can try to do next summer
My thinking here as well (Central Europe). But mountains are nerby and short half a day trips to build strength are just fine until the spring comes.
@@michaljambor7772 That's awesome that you can ride in the winter. It's going to be too cold for anything other than commuting to work here on the Canadian praries soon.
Riding in Europe would be really cool tho
Neil
Where does Sheltowee Trace trip fall on this Bikepacking is Hard list .??? 😂😂😂😂
I know it was tough , Austin said so …
Love it my man …. Keep it up
Realistic assènent. Thanks.
My tip: Plan a simple overnighter but add extra weight as if it was a longer trip and you had to carry extra food or water. That way you get used to the load and bike handling. If you use full water bladders for additional weight, you can just dump the extra water if it gets too much. Beer works too but don’t waste it. :)
I agree bikepacking is hard. I am 54 and not that fit but always loved cycling, so five years ago after converting a mountain with a 1000w mid drive I then thought that converting it to a trike and adding a dog trailer might mean I can travel. I had 4 small dogs at the time and they were coming with me. I got two large batteries (30ah) which gave up to and even more on flat roads 100 kilometres (60 miles) per charge. I camped at powered sites in a tent and it was so rewarding but often a challenge. Arriving late and settling up isn't fun.
This led me to starting a purpose built design that was totally off grid. I decided to take everything to the next level. No longer would I need powered sites saving money and stress. At any stage I wanted to be able to pull up somewhere safe (basically anywhere as I live in Australia) set up within minutes and have everything I need ready to go.
I decided 4 wheels provide better stability, space and comfort so a recumbent velomobile with some kind of easy to use camper behind it was the dream. They're all expensive and would still need work and money to be adapted for what I wanted. Then in late 2019 the Tesla Cybertruck prototype was unveiled and I discovered it had an amazing coefficient of drag. This led me to design (reverse engineer) a 40% scale version that seats one (see my channel for progress to date) with a pop-top micro-camper to match it. The camper was the priority as I also wanted it to be my full-time home. I made template versions of both over a year ago and two weeks ago I had the final version of the camper ready to move into. There's still plenty more to do but I already love it. It's taking the tiny home trend to the next level making most caravans look massive. Next the Cybertruck will be built over the next year or hopefully sooner then I can be on permanent vacation. It's also going to be a head turner as there's nothing like it around.
My very first bike packing experience('06)was way too ambitious at over 200miles in two days.My legs were pretty sore for a few days.Few hundred trip later now I just pack better and don't go as far,I figure 25mile over nighters are good enough anything past 50miles is a tour.
Idk about the being prepared and the starting small part. I know people who started WORLD tours after a sedentary lifestyle. Starting small in terms of mileage sure, and the first week is almost always reported as the worst physically, but the body quickly catches up. Some people go from 20km to 80km per day. Even just pilgrims on the Santiago de Compostela routes have reported improvements (although not as big since there's not so much road). It is a mental hurdle, not so much physical. Think David Goggins :)
My first bikepacking route was a difficulty of 5 on the site. It absolutely did not feel like a difficulty 5 to me. It seemed like I was walking through ankle deep mud for hours. About 6,000 ft of climbing per day was not easy for me while loaded
just came back from a 4 week trip across the alps. bike packing is not hard it's much easier than sitting at home 😉 can't wait to be on the road again.
Yep, Start simple and grow slowly. Eventually you will find your limit between what you like or don't like. I'm getting older so I know my limit.
Yep. It’s hard. But that’s the fun. Neil, have you ever looked into the range of age of bike packers? I’m pushing 62 and have been bikepacking for nearly 10 years. Hope to keep at it for years to come. But I’m very aware that time might be running out as I get even older. What are options for us “elder” bikepackers out there?
Many of the off-road bikepacking routes are overly ambitious. The GDMBR, Colorado Trail, the Baja Divide, egad, they are difficult physically and mentally. Start with fun trails like the Katy Trail, GAP to C&O trails, Cowboy trail, or Mickelson Trail. Take it easy on yourself and pick easy seasons and easy trails to start. Have fun, make it a camping trip not a mileage torture test. Ride to your local state park, cross part of it, and camp somewhere. Good enough.
Yep yep yep!
Also, if you have a bikepacking partner with you, then make sure your expectations match not just your fitness.
Very helpful.
Coming from cyclotourism I tried bikepacking this year. I am an old fart and have experience with mountain biking; so why not combine the two aspects? Start small? Last month I went solo bikepacking in Armenia for 3 weeks as my first offroad trip. The trip was great (until the violent invasion of Azerbaijan which made me go home early) and everything went well, but beforehand my mind was playing tricks: As I checked routes, topographic maps and checked my equipment: BUT the more I studied, the less I slept: my fear grew and I was grinding my teeth at night. Can I do this alone?? I went anyway and I enjoyed every minute and am hungry for more!
Bikepacking is hard.... on ones rear end ... just got back from a two day 200 mile with some chunky and nicely graded rail trails ... my rear end on the new saddle ... boy is my tail raw ... I finally got a fit done and it was pointed out my new saddle was small for my seat bones but I figured I would give it a go ... 'big mistake' .... ordered a correct size saddle and once rear end heals up I'll swap and reset things ... best to say if you have not had a fit done on your bike and have comfort problems on long runs... spend the cash and get a fit it'll save you a lot of discomfort .... on the other half of things my legs and knee pains I was experiencing are now gone so I certainly gained miles on my legs so once I get the correct seat on, I expect to be golden ...
my other cycling friend who has said many times on trips... if I never threw this stuff together, he would have never gotten out and done it himself ... now he is hooked ... so even though his ability is stronger than mine physically on the road my desire for adventure pulled him out of his comfort zone he would not have taken up himself and now he is hooked... I wish I could get out more but with a family at home and two kids Daddy is hard pressed to get out and away for more than a day ... still I'll take what I can as the solitude out there is how I get mentally recharged
did my 1st overnight bikepacking trip Thanksgiving 2021 around Boulder CO with my daughter, an accomplished woman at 30 and rock star on that bike. Best night's sleep I'd had in years so I was determined: 2022 I was getting my gear and DOING IT. I have done 4 solo overnighters along Oregon Coast Range mostly gravel. first, I did several day rides loaded down to practice.
TIP #1 - DON'T do a route of any length, remote that you haven't day ride or referral from others. Don't trust the APP to navigate and plan it. I DID. 2nd day was mostly hike-a-bike, lots of suffering needlessly due to inexperience and lazy planning. Lets just say "STAR TREKKING" - WHERE NO MAN HAS GONE BEFORE LOL... Trudging hours through ankle deep mud along Elk Routes with a loaded bike isn't fun.
TIP#2 - Don't skimp $$ on your sleep system. I picked NICE ultra lightweight down $leeping sack, great air pad but a marginal one-person tent. the inexpensive propane stove kit and titanium pot combo have performed adequately. ALL FITS IN REAR SEATPOST BAG: my tent, airpad, sleepingbag, campstove with medium size gas can, flipflop camp shoes, extra tire and solar battery pack strapped to top of it. to $ave money, I picked up 6x8 blue tarp (get green or brown) as footprint for tent which is nice stepping out upon especially when it rained or is dusty; doubles as extra rain fly with cordage, fits in tent pole bag tightly rolled on handlebar bag along with food, clothing, 1st aid, toiletries. DITCH ALL THE bags for your gear came in except one to stuff and use as a pillow.
TIP#3 CREATURE COMFORT: camp shoes, whiskey and good coffee and a log or big rock to sit on. It makes you feel so much better having the real thing, sitting on the ground gets old. first trips I boiled the water, used instant coffee but from the pot. UGH! too hot to drink at first then cools too quickly. I must have coffee!!! Sacrifice a little weight for a proper coffee can. I'm wild camping! next trip to REI, I picked up the collapsible rubber drip coffee gizmo fits inside my stove/pot setup perfectly- paper cone filter easy cleanup. Nothing better than brewed coffee in the morning from your own thermos and liquor ala small flask before bed.
My only dilemma is whether to carry a stove or not. Hot drinks and food is good for moral on a wet cold morning BUT I could always wait until I pass a hot food outlet. I always wondered how easy it will be to purchase gas for my stove. Will I be forced into making detours. Or will most small town stores have them in stock 🤔
You have to manage everything by yourself....
what works for me is converting my normal bike to a e-bike, it helps with the load and up hills, i run a bafang mid-drive 750 watt motor with a 20ah battery and with peddle assist level one i get over 500km it one charge and it only cost me 28cents to recharge, i am a 155kg rider with a trailer.
I'm just back from a 600 km, 18 day trip trough France only camping. I did 4 overnighters/Multis before . I Thought I was was aware Of some of the hard aspects , but man did we miscalculate :D
Things that we did not think of, is how much time you need for buying and preparing food , washing clothes etc. The first week doing 70-80 km per day just felt like hard work from being awake to leying
What happened the second week? Did you do shorter days? How many rest days? Cheers
We hast to do shorter like 40 km per day cause of the heavy altitude . Every three to four days a rest day!
I think the black girl on 4:13 has the same bike as me -- a 2020 Kona Rove NRB DL. Yay!
Start small. Or don't. My second bikepacking trip was 72 days. I got in shape along the way. The only thing I packed that I didn't use was the giant wet wipes that a friend insisted that I would need, but I found showers along the way instead.
Hey Im going off on a similar trip soon. Im trying to build up my fitness as much as I can and hoping that the trip itself will be the rest of the training. It's a viable option right? I can ride my bike a long way but it feels like I need a couple of days to recover my energy.
@@patientswim6888 yeah, nothing gets you in shape for something like that except for doing it. I lost 15 pounds in the first two weeks and then kept it off no matter what I ate. By the end of the trip I was in the best biking shape i've ever been in. I took 8 rest days over the course of it. You just need to listen to your body. One day i thought I was good to go but 20 km in, I was feeling weak (not tired). I took the rest of that day off and was good to go for another six.
Bike packing isn't a holiday. It is kind of meant to be challenging and overcoming the challenge is the reward. It is also a lot of fun but maybe I'm just a sucker for punishment 😂
I overcome those difficulties with AirBnB
hahahahahaaa love that clip of Jesse
I'm built like a linebacker. The only problem I have with bike packing? No pack is wide enough for my girthy neck. lol
For me bikepacking is hard because I simply can't do it as it's illegal to camp in the wild in Germany with fines of up to 5000€, which is a damn shame as I'd love to do it but don't want to risk it, nor want to travel across borders to simply enjoy nature.
You could use a Biwack.
I just don’t like easy rides! The harder the better, embrace the pain and have fun 😎😅
its only hard if you want to go a long way.
BIkepacking!
forget bikepacking... biking itself is a pain in the a$$... been strugling for years for just biking, always experiencing saddle issues around 30/40km... already gave up on long distances for that! biking for me is always a font of frustration so i'm getting a time off for a bit too cool things down