Introduction Thread

[Outsider]

...
I just put down a deposit with Scott Quiring www.quiringcycles.net to build me a steel Fargo'ish frame and fork with Paragon sliders to accommodate single speed/fixed riding when I'm not using it for touring. I'm hoping to do the White Rim trail later this year. 

Good choice. Make sure you get bottle mounts on the fork as well, like the Fargo has. They really are nice to have if you use a full sized frame bag.

[Tommignon]

Name is Tom and the Wife's is Mignon hence the name tommignon.  We love to ride Mountain Bikes.  She isn't into sleeping on the ground so the bike packing will probably be with friends.  I too drool at the Fargo and the New Mukluk from Salsa.  I added the Drop Bars to the old Schwinn Rigid MTB and love it. Some day I'll buy the Fargo, until then it's Fargolite.  I am looking for some 2 day length adventures in Western Washington any help there would be appreciated.  Great site. 

[Blues Frog]

Hi, I'm Blues Frog and I'm hooked on the idea of touring with no support and not necessarily on roads.

[maadjurguer]

Hey all....I just caught the bikepacking bug thanks to my first trip engineered by Chad up on the Kaibab.  I'll post up a trip report here soon elsewhere.

[nick]

Hello my name is Nick,

I'm a long time mountain biker from North Vancouver BC but noob bikepacker. I have been riding the North Shore for over 15 years (riding bike all my life) and now after a somewhat serious injury (and 2 kids) looking for something new. Love reading about the great adventures some of you had and hope to contribute in the not to distant future.

[moonfroggy]

Hi I'm Bug. I'm another noob
i live in west marin and am planning my first bikepacking trip in about a month. going into point reyes and taking my almost 3 year old son and husband along. when i am not on my bike i am exploring the world with my kid or working on an art project. looking forward to learning more and talking to others about bikepacking!

[Dallas.S]

Hello, I'm Dallas.
I'm from Iowa and in my mid-30's. I've been riding bikes and loving the rugged outdoors since I was 7. My first bikepacking trip was when I was 16 (way before I knew it was a sport). I loaded up my camping equip and hauled it 25 miles (all road), just because it sounded like a fun challenge. I've been hooked since.
But the flat stretches of Iowa roads became boring , so I started MT biking (mountains in Iowa? ok, off roading). The closest place for this is Backbone State Park, where they have 10 miles of MTB trails and a primitive campground. This has slowly redirected me back to the sport I now know as bikepacking.

My equipment- I have an el cheapo 18 speed, 26 inch, dual suspension Roadmaster. It has lasted 10 years and over 1500 miles on not-so-flat terrain.
As a metal fabricator, I have built my own cargo rack and 'Bob' trailer.
I never go anywhere without my Garmin Etrex Venture HC.

My next big trip is the Centennial Trail in the Black Hills National Forest, SD in the spring of 2011. I'm looking for riding buddies for this one.

[Lonesome Luddite]

Whereabouts in Iowa are you Dallas? I've hiked at Backbone, but didn't know they allowed bikes.  I'd check out Decorah and Sugar Bottom near North Liberty if you're looking for some more trails in the general area.  As you know though most "bikepacking" in Iowa is really gravel road touring, but it's better than nothing.  Welcome to the forums!

[Dallas.S]

I'm the Waterloo/Waverly area.  Backbone allows bikes on most of the trails, but a few are hiking only.
I recently found out about Decorah and Sugar Bottom and hope to ride them before too long. There are some in the Des Moines area that I will be riding soon, as well.

[Lonesome Luddite]

I overnighted in George Wyth SP on one of my gravel tours.  I'm not sure what their use regulations are, but Camp Ingawamis has some nice trails.  There are a surprising number of options in your area.  If you want to know more talk to Mark at Europa Cycles.  He's in the know about all the trails in the area and does a little bikepacking himself. 

As far as the DSM area, I haven't done the Science Center trails, but hear good things.  Seven Oaks near Boone is the best mountain biking in the state.  I did a little S24O there a few years back.  Miserable night, but good riding.

[griplimited]

Johnson here from LA County, SoCal. Biking since I was on training wheels. Graduated to 20in wheels GT, then to road bike. Now integrating more mountain biking when time permits.

Love the content here and gives a different perspective on ways of packing. Generally we all want to be minimalists, and somehow we end up with the suitcase.

Have two little ones now, a 22month old and a 7week old addition to the family. I'm turning 30 this month and was planning a trip from San Fran > Los Angeles with consent from the wifey and was well prepared/geard. However I didn't want to take that much time away from her and the little ones, so a change of plans includes friends and Angeles Crest towards Mt. Baldy. Most haven't done any camping so it'll be an adventure for all in good and bad ways.

[wild_bike]

Gosh, Guess I ought to introduce myself here as this looks like a great resource and I'm hoping to tap this collective for up-to-date stuff.

I'm an older bikepacker from a few years back or so who's been out of the league but have a new bike and want a couple more.

Done lots of camping and bike riding since I's a wee one starting on a road bike in the east. Once the mtn bike came out I left the road bike behind. Then maybe burned out on the mtn bike a little and got into adventure racing. Burned out on that and did some walking and related stuff and now here I am, back to the veloci-steed, albeit new and big and full.

Hoping that I can learn from those here that have experience with all that new fangled componentry and materials and techniques out there. I have plans for rides, long and lonely and hopefully light. But I need help.

I've posed a couple questions in the "questions forum" but unsure how to pry answers out....and posted a couple photos from old bikepacking trips.

RD in AK

[phil_rad]

Gosh, Guess I ought to introduce myself here as this looks like a great resource and I'm hoping to tap this collective for up-to-date stuff.

I'm an older bikepacker from a few years back or so who's been out of the league but have a new bike and want a couple more.

Done lots of camping and bike riding since I's a wee one starting on a road bike in the east. Once the mtn bike came out I left the road bike behind. Then maybe burned out on the mtn bike a little and got into adventure racing. Burned out on that and did some walking and related stuff and now here I am, back to the veloci-steed, albeit new and big and full.

Hoping that I can learn from those here that have experience with all that new fangled componentry and materials and techniques out there. I have plans for rides, long and lonely and hopefully light. But I need help.

I've posed a couple questions in the "questions forum" but unsure how to pry answers out....and posted a couple photos from old bikepacking trips.

RD in AK

Welcome!
Looks like some wild times!

[otis]

Hi I'm Owen.

I am a MTB weekend warrior from Australia, but I am planning a trip to South East Asia in December.  This will involve a couple of days of supported group singletrack riding in Thailand, and then a solo ride across the skinny part of Laos and Vietnam.        I will probably run some small rear panniers - I think that makes it not "bikepacking" in the purest sense, right?   The solo tour will be probably a 50/50 combo of dirt and blacktop.    And I will only be camping occasionally (part of my ride  is apparently "tiger country"... so def indoors at night for that part!!)....

Anyhoo, I stumbled on this site while googling for info on gear... awesome resource!!  Thanks!

[phil_rad]

I don't think it matters much if you use panniers or bikepacking bags. If you're out in wilds with your bike and are camping, I think its bikepacking. It just might not be optimal for single track riding, cause the panniers are wider and can catch on rocks, branches and things easier than the streamlined bags. Just have fun and enjoy nature, thats the name of the game IMO.

[mzungueriki]

I am Erik.  lived in Tanzania for last 30 some years.  I like to bikepack especially off road.  Cant get out as much as i like right now.  Mzungu means white man in swahili.  i blog on mzungueriki.blogspot.com  when i remember an have time.

thinking of changing to internal geared hub as i get into rough and brushy trails and have had issues with derailleurs.  not convinced about single gear. 

Hope to learn here.

[campy3]

Chris Campen

Started riding when I was 16, but didn't get really into it until I moved to Arizona from Illinois.  I have spent the last couple of years in pharmacy school/residency etc. but am finally able to get into long distance riding.

[vadim_123]

Hi!

I'm Vadim from Israel.

Strarted bikepacking 4 years ago, but only the last year get into light bikepacking.
Israel is too small for autonomous traveling, so long trips mostly done in Europe ( Alps, Norway , Italy).

From the latest trip on Golan Heights route ( I'm in the what was yellow jersey) :



Home made - saddle bag, handle bar bag, power bars bag ( thanks to the forum).
Alcohol bottle on the fork.

[out_there]

Hi, I'm Steve, from Tucson, and I've been getting into bikepacking over the last few months.  Did my first multi-day ride last week, the Apache 200, though I didn't quite finish (bailed at the Panorama TH). Good learning experience- next time I'll plan on 4 days so as to have more time to chill and enjoy the scenery.  Not really into setting any records as much as getting out there and riding some beautiful country.

[DelNorte]

Hey all,

I've been biking for as long as I can remember, and raced for about 12 years before I took a hiatus from the sport for the last few years.  In the past I have always been more into dirt jumping, trials, and dh then anything else, but lately I have been feeling the need for an adventure. 

My employer doesn't have any contracts coming in from Nov 1 through next April as of right now, so I was thinking about buying a bikepacking kit and going on an adventure.  My last bikepacking trip was about 13 years ago when I was 14, so I don't really have any idea what I'm getting myself into.  But I have a habit of getting an idea in my head, and sticking with it no matter how misconceived it is. 

I'm buying a new bike tomorrow and right now I'm planning on going on my bikepacking trip around November/ December.  Arizona is currently at the top of my list, but I'm open to ideas and suggestions.