Still not getting the bikepacking thing
02-03-20, 11:43 AM
#176
Senior Member
I'm a boomer-fred 
02-03-20, 01:51 PM
#177
Senior Member
Bikepacking is a subset of Bicycle Touring.
Bikepacking is limited to non-paved surfaces, generally single and/or double track trails. Touring may include paved & non-paved, any trail type, and any road type.
Neither Bikepacking nor Bicycle Touring are limited to any particular type of bicycle or luggage-system.
Bikepacking is limited to non-paved surfaces, generally single and/or double track trails. Touring may include paved & non-paved, any trail type, and any road type.
Neither Bikepacking nor Bicycle Touring are limited to any particular type of bicycle or luggage-system.
02-03-20, 04:35 PM
#178
Senior Member
Big Aura, I do like the colours of that guys bike. His car must be a Porsche 917
(no other 24 of Lemans fans here?)
(no other 24 of Lemans fans here?)
02-03-20, 04:51 PM
#179
Senior Member
Originally Posted by BigAura;21310808
Originally Posted by [b
Originally Posted by [b
Happy Feet[/b] View Post
To me that only re enforces why younger bikers like Max the Cyclist avoid touring sites like this (to our detriment) as they are tired of grumpy old boomers putting them down. Regardless, they appear to be out there, doing stuff and pushing the boundaries in a way that some of us only used to do. Fortunately, they'll let us join them, with panniers or without, on all sorts of bikes but they don't seem to be too hung up on letting us tell them what why or how it is that they are doing.
As for Max-the-cyclist I'm not sure you know or remember when he first started posting on this site. He came with an attitute that everyone was doing it wrong and he had seen light and that light was ultralight. As time progressed and his super-minimalist style began to receed, especially after an ill fated touring experience with some adverse weather. He did do a good job in testing some alternative gear, but unforfunately his initial-impression might have tarred him.
/meta
To me that only re enforces why younger bikers like Max the Cyclist avoid touring sites like this (to our detriment) as they are tired of grumpy old boomers putting them down. Regardless, they appear to be out there, doing stuff and pushing the boundaries in a way that some of us only used to do. Fortunately, they'll let us join them, with panniers or without, on all sorts of bikes but they don't seem to be too hung up on letting us tell them what why or how it is that they are doing.
As for Max-the-cyclist I'm not sure you know or remember when he first started posting on this site. He came with an attitute that everyone was doing it wrong and he had seen light and that light was ultralight. As time progressed and his super-minimalist style began to receed, especially after an ill fated touring experience with some adverse weather. He did do a good job in testing some alternative gear, but unforfunately his initial-impression might have tarred him.
/meta
I recall the Max fellow, and giving the view that he knew better, but I think its also fair to say that age is a part of that, and we all felt the same to an extent at his age.
I know at one point early on he had ridden up to Montreal, overdid his days riding, was tired and hungry and rode right into a metal pole in the middle of a bike path near Montreal while eating a granola bar and bent his front fork, and asked for help.
I offered him some bike stores that I know with excellent, honest mechanics, and even offered to help, but he never acknowledged my offer, which I found disappointing, but hey, this is the faceless internet, and people ask for help or advice on this forum and never respond....
but yes, a younger crowd probably does avoid a place like this, but I certainly do like reading up to date info on equipment and techniques, so its too bad. I do look at bikepacking.com etc but for various factors, know that the majority of stuff done there is not what I'll do, well maybe, but tempered with knowing that I am not young anymore, so realistic about whats doable for me.
but I certainly dont fret about this, and am open to all stuff bike, so simply check out other sites also to get ideas and to appreciate what folks are doing.
02-03-20, 05:25 PM
#180
Full Member
My own definition of bikepacking is that of generally packing light, and embracing rougher surfaces. In general a bikepacking trip won't be as long as a tour, maybe multi-day, but less often multi week. As an aesthetic, bikepacking has interesting things to offer, but, like most movements, commercial concerns have intruded to the point where you could be forgiven for wondering if it was all just a marketing exercise. Not to mention that, similar to touring and almost any other passtime, an orthodoxy has asserted itself, to the point where one online group I joined started to delete any photo not showing approved bikepacking gear on the bicycle.
Despite that, the idea of packing lighter and avoiding main roads is still an attractive one, as long as you don't get bogged down in 'approved' gear lists and the like. I have pared down the weight quite substantially on my travelling setup, and enjoyed various dirt road and off road routes. I probably have not a single item you might see in the average bikepacking setup however,although at the same time you might not see most of it in a touring setup either.
Despite that, the idea of packing lighter and avoiding main roads is still an attractive one, as long as you don't get bogged down in 'approved' gear lists and the like. I have pared down the weight quite substantially on my travelling setup, and enjoyed various dirt road and off road routes. I probably have not a single item you might see in the average bikepacking setup however,although at the same time you might not see most of it in a touring setup either.
02-04-20, 10:42 PM
#182
Junior Member
Not to jump too far down the etymology rabbit hole, but everyone should understand that it's hardly a new term. See the following:
This is from the 1973 Cannondale catalog, long before anyone had heard of a mountain bike, gravel bike, etc., for all I know this term was used even earlier.
It seems this word has been appropriated in current times to differentiate between types of touring and the possible gear you might use depending on the nature of the terrain you will travel. Nothing wrong with it, I am a long time backpacker and the term bikepacking kind of makes sense to me. When I backpack I strive to stay off roads and improved places as much as possible.
If it helps some companies differentiate their product or consumers to find what they want then more power too 'em.
As others have said, little difference what you call it, get out there and experience YOUR preferred terrain...
PEACE
This is from the 1973 Cannondale catalog, long before anyone had heard of a mountain bike, gravel bike, etc., for all I know this term was used even earlier.
It seems this word has been appropriated in current times to differentiate between types of touring and the possible gear you might use depending on the nature of the terrain you will travel. Nothing wrong with it, I am a long time backpacker and the term bikepacking kind of makes sense to me. When I backpack I strive to stay off roads and improved places as much as possible.
If it helps some companies differentiate their product or consumers to find what they want then more power too 'em.
As others have said, little difference what you call it, get out there and experience YOUR preferred terrain...
PEACE
Last edited by Sandstrom; 02-04-20 at 11:09 PM.
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02-05-20, 04:48 AM
#183
Senior Member
Thanks for that. Neat find. 1973.
An interesting shot also, good work on part of the photographer.
An interesting shot also, good work on part of the photographer.
02-05-20, 10:09 AM
#184
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02-06-20, 08:19 AM
#185
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No front panniers either
02-06-20, 01:07 PM
#186
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We had a younger individual show up to ride with us last year, a friend of a friend, and that individual had the latest greatest bike packing set up so as to be quite the minimalist. I got a giggle though because he spent the whole week either borrowing stuff from each of us or we ended up carrying some of his food, because he didn't have enough room in those small front fork cylindrical bags : )
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02-06-20, 11:22 PM
#187
Senior Member
Thread Starter
We had a younger individual show up to ride with us last year, a friend of a friend, and that individual had the latest greatest bike packing set up so as to be quite the minimalist. I got a giggle though because he spent the whole week either borrowing stuff from each of us or we ended up carrying some of his food, because he didn't have enough room in those small front fork cylindrical bags : )
