Suggested Mountain bike for bikepacking?
12-28-22, 02:33 PM
#1
Curmudgeon
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Suggested Mountain bike for bikepacking?
I do all my bikepacking on a gravel bike. To get further afield I am considering buying a mountain bike to tackle the tougher, more technical terrain.
anyone in this MTB forum have experience bikepacking with a MTB, full suspension or hard tail?
anyone in this MTB forum have experience bikepacking with a MTB, full suspension or hard tail?
12-28-22, 04:03 PM
#2
Newbie
I haven't done it yet but I have a 92 Trek 950 (all rigid) that I wouldn't hesitate to load down for a bikepacking trip. You may to check out the "show us your vintage mountain bike" thread in the forum. There are many examples/photos of folks using older mountain bikes for this purpose - mostly all rigid but some with front suspension. They are considered some of the most versatile bikes out there and they can still be had for very reasonable prices.
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12-28-22, 04:20 PM
#3
Senior Member
I did some mixed on off road touring with a rigid 1990 Cannondale. It worked well, but I wasn't on much technical singletrack. I'd use it to tour on more technial trail than I have so far though. I'd also entertain using my newer hardtail.
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12-28-22, 05:04 PM
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ignominious poltroon
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12-28-22, 05:13 PM
#5
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Hard Tails seem to be easier to install a frame bag, so I would likely use my Chisel HT instead of my Epic FS.
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12-28-22, 05:19 PM
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check out posts by cyccommute he's posted a few of his bikes that would fit what you're looking for
example:
example:
Honestly, why not just stay with what is working? Your Kona is fully capable of doing what you want to do. You might change up the bags a bit and use bikepacking bags rather than panniers. I don’t like them as much as pannier and would never use them for road touring but for rugged to semi-rugged off-road touring, they work far better.
This is my setup for rugged bikepacking in the Colorado Rockies. I use it to go up and over mountain passes here that tend to be really rocky. It’s a Moots YBBeat that has a 1.5” travel on the rear wheel. It’s not a huge movement but enough to take some of the edge off the bumps. The fork is a 100mm Fox Float. It’s old but very capable and has a very good lockout for those sections of a trip where I don’t need the suspension.
This the kind of roads I ride on.
The configuration I use are constantly changing on different trips.
And here’s how I pack it.
This is my setup for rugged bikepacking in the Colorado Rockies. I use it to go up and over mountain passes here that tend to be really rocky. It’s a Moots YBBeat that has a 1.5” travel on the rear wheel. It’s not a huge movement but enough to take some of the edge off the bumps. The fork is a 100mm Fox Float. It’s old but very capable and has a very good lockout for those sections of a trip where I don’t need the suspension.
This the kind of roads I ride on.
The configuration I use are constantly changing on different trips.
And here’s how I pack it.
Last edited by fishboat; 12-28-22 at 05:28 PM.
12-28-22, 05:29 PM
#7
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We used semi-fat tire bikes (3") tires on solid Motobecane frames with hyd disk brakes for search and rescue. We even had 20" bar Stihl chainsaws mounted on the racks along with medical gear and survival kits and lots of electronic radio gear/GPS. We never knew where we were going to end up or for how long and what we would need. Sometimes we were in the outback for more than a week at a time. They were literally pack mules powered by humans.
I have seen pics of Cycocommute's bikes and I wouldn't hesitate to hear what he has to say.
I have seen pics of Cycocommute's bikes and I wouldn't hesitate to hear what he has to say.
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12-28-22, 07:46 PM
#8
Senior Member
You didn't mention if you want a modern or vintage mountain bike for bike packing. A vintage may feel too much like your gravel bike.
Bikepacking.com recently did a video about their picks for the best bikepacking bike.
Bikepacking.com recently did a video about their picks for the best bikepacking bike.
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12-30-22, 05:42 PM
#9
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12-30-22, 05:59 PM
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Mine is a steel drop-bar mountain bike, FWIW.
01-01-23, 10:48 AM
#11
hello
I’ve been using my late 90’s DEAN mtb, hardtail rigid, for bikepacking, w/ front & rear racks. And just recently converted its full XT 3x8 to a 1x11 drivetrain. Retained the low end gearing, but lost a few gear inches at the top end (which I rarely used anyway).
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01-03-23, 11:45 AM
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I got my Timberjack with the intent to be a do-everything bike, and then got myself a frame bag for daily use, and with the intent to go bikepacking someday. I have to say it does not seem like an ideal combination. The bike has a lot of its front real estate spent on the big tire clearance and big fork and big stiff tubing. The triangle opening and the bag is actually quite small and awkward. A steel or titanium bike would handle the space better, and if it's a fat bike it can also can take bags that are 1in wider. I don't think it would be as good to ride on single track, though.
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