Plan & Prepare

It’s fairly uncomplicated to gather some provisions, lash some dry bags to a bike, and disappear into the woods for a couple of days. Read Logan’s account of a last-minute decision to go bikepacking back in 2013. Plus, a how-to starter kit for an easy overnighter.

Have you bikepacked as a posse? The experience is very distinct from both meditative solo rides and the close camaraderie of a shared experience with a single friend. Factor in half a dozen riders and the dynamic completely transforms, with the journey taking on a different life. Cass heads out for a few days in the sun patinaed New Mexican desert… and returns with the feel good vibes from the very best of group rides.

Matthew Kadey, author of “Rocket Fuel – Power Packed Food for Sports + Adventure,” is an adventure cyclist and dietitian. Matthew’s two-wheeled travels have taken him to numerous countries including Ethiopia, Syria, and Thailand, just to name a few. We asked Matthew for some bikepacking-friendly recipes from his cookbook, and as an added bonus he whipped us up our own special energy ball recipe.

Thinking of converting from a traditional bike touring setup to bikepacking bags? Here’s how it went for Franzi and Jona mid-trip during their around-the-world journey. Plus, weight and volume analysis for ‘panniers vs bikepacking bags’, as well as a detailed insight into transforming your overweight bike touring kit to a slimline bikepacking rig and why you might consider such a metamorphosis…

What does the future hold for the creation, publication, and ownership of bikepacking routes? Plus a hint at a few of our upcoming projects… and Scouts Wanted! — a call to action to the bikepacking community.

Daniel Wilhelm rode a large portion of our Altravesur route through southern Spain back in October. With great weather and tapas fueling the way, he went from Malaga to Valencia in 12 days. Here is his ride gallery from the trip…

Do you follow a paleo diet, or aspire to keep predominantly to its principles of eating more naturally and cutting out processed food? But let me guess… you still want to pack light when you bikepack? Paleo Meals to Go are crammed with simple caveman goodness… Here’s our thoughts on what’s in them, and how they taste.

Interested in mingling pedaling and paddling? Perhaps you’re captivated by the idea of linking up a bikepacking route via river and packraft. Or maybe you’ve dreamt up a coastal fatbike exploration. In our latest guide, Huw Oliver defines what makes bikerafting special and answers all the necessary questions to get your bikepacking rig one step closer to water…

Here’s why we think every full-suspension bike should have a frame bag… even if you’re not a bikepacker. Plus, the full lowdown on different bag types, who builds them, what can actually fit into them, and two suggested pack lists.

An important and growing part of BIKEPACKING.com is the routes resource, covering rides of different styles and lengths, drawn from all around the globe. Each route post is accompanied by a GPX track to load into your GPS, be it a standalone device or a smartphone. These can be downloaded directly from the site, or pushed via Ride With GPS. To make this process easier, here’s how to go about it, as well as a few potential pitfalls to watch out for and some advice on navigation apps…

Our friend Brendan Leonard recently co-authored and published a camping cookbook titled “Best Served Wild”. We asked Brendan to recommend the simplest and most lightweight recipe from the “Multi-Day Outings” chapter. Here’s one that any bikepacker should be able to make…

Franzi and Jona recently returned from a 15-month bikepacking trip through North and South America. Here Franzi reflects on their journey offering valuable stories and insight that might help others planning a trip, big or small, with their spouse or significant other.