Personal setups » First Attempt
by wpeterg
This is my first attempt at a bikepacking setup. A friend and I are planning an easy overnight for this Sunday, and I’m curious to see how my gear works out so I can make adjustments for longer journeys in the near future. The one change I might make before this weekend is to add a rear rack that attaches to the seatpost, I’ve had a real hard time getting that dry bag cinched down well enough. It’s not heavy just awkward. So from front to rear, I’m carrying: a foam pad with a tarp and stakes rolled up in it, a Spot on top of that, two bottles, frame bag with stove/fuel/tools/camera, dry bag with sleeping bag/camp pillow/lightweight cookset/emergency bivy. I’ll also be carrying a large Wingnut pack with 100 oz. bladder/most of my food/fleece bottoms and top for camp/light down jacket/hat and gloves. Any tips or comments would be greatly appreciated.
ScottM on 
Dylan on 
AmosIv on 
Preston on 
Jesse on 
Martin on 
Rod on
Very cool, thanks for sharing. Do you have anymore pictures posted anywhere. I would like to see more shots of the front setup and handlebars.
Thanks!
The handlebar setup is still not quite up to snuff. I’m having a hard time getting it situated so I can still use my brakes but not have it hitting the tire. As it is right now (in the picture), I have plenty of room for braking and shifting but it does rub on the tire a little when you hit a bump. I may just leave it like that for tomorrow, it’s an old crappy foam pad so I’m not real concerned if it gets a little scuffed up. Nothing a little duct tape won’t fix. Those pictures were with my crappy iPhone camera. I’m taking my real camera on the trip, and I plan to take a bunch of pictures. I’ll be sure and post a few of them here.
Looks ready to go
You may be able to secure your dry bag better rather than buckling it to the seat post try buckling it around the angle formed by the top tube and seat tube (if your frame bag will allow) or the seat stays
That’s a great tip, and one I will certainly try on the next trip. I ended up buying one of those beam racks that clamp to the seat post, and I wasn’t super thrilled with the way it worked. Everything stayed in place okay, but it felt weird with the weight hanging out in back so far. I think if I got the sleeping bag out of the dry bag and stowed elsewhere it would fold down small enough that strapping it to the seat post would work. I ended up with a bike/gear weight of 50 lbs., and my pack with a full bladder weighed in at 9 lbs. Is that way heavier than an average set up?
Pete,
My experience with beam racks is similar plus because of all the motion at their one attachment point the metal fatigues and they break. Hard to say about weight. For touring you are in an ok range. Folks going light weight shoot for a total gear weight of 15# or less sans food/h2o. Quick ways I see for you to save weight- choose 1: bivy or tarp, choose 1: fleece or down jacket, get rid of some of that extra tape and cord, pair down the cookset, ditch the tupperware and camp pillow. Keep doing trips and I am sure you’ll find many more ways to lighten your load and a increase the fun.
I was a pillow carrier for years until I found this. Great thing is, it serves two purposes. Stuff sack and pillow.
http://www.rei.com/webservices/rei/DisplayStyle/795043?source=gpla&cm_mmc=cse_froogle-_-datafeed-_-product-_-795043&mr:trackingCode=61B215C2-B849-E011-AFD7-001517384908&mr:referralID=NA
The dry bag as a supertwinkie trick works great. I’ve tried it myself.
I used a couple velcro straps from REI to support it on the seat rails after wrapping the end around the seat post.
Ultimately the only negative which is a really big one is it’s not very easy to get in to. The supertwinkie designs by makers like Revelate and others are supremely useful as they are convenient. Not to mention fairly universal. In my optinion this makes them one of the key pieces of bikepacking gear.