I live outside of Zürich and have been using the maps from here to plan:

https://map.schweizmobil.ch/?lang=en&photos=yes&bgLayer=pk&logo=yes&season=summer&resolution=250&E=2631750&N=1189000&layers=Veloland%2CMountainbikeland

Layers for cycling, MTB, hiking, etc. There is also a phone app. You can draw and download routes of you sign up for the paid service - might be worth it for planning.

Don’t build anything custom until you try a style of riding out for a bit...
Rohloff is great for certain types of riding... I do not like it for technical single track.
And it is a heavy piece of kit.

I bought a Fargo to do what you want to do... just wanted to add the Rohloff option to it, wish it had the alternator dropouts when I got mine. Loved that bike - so many great adventures from single track to forest roads and even gravel / dirt / paved brevets. Miss it.

But something serviceable and relatively inexpensive. Beat the piss out of it. Then build something that fits your style when you get it dialed in.

https://www.bike-discount.de/en/buy/procraft-i-grip-evo-bar-ends-s-37405

Ergon grips have some models with integrated bar ends.

If you have enough room from the handlebars to the wheel you might be able to use a Revelate Harness and then just strap your bag in... Maybe move some items to the rear seat bag and then when you get to your hike you can pull the pack, add the items, and go.

I remember Tout Terrain making a backpack holder / seat rack, but I think it was pretty bulky.


A PDW bindle rack might work on the rear for a small day pack.

Riding single track? Then the higher position.
More gravel / double track and occasional single track? Lower position.

Salsa Fargo, bikepacking by Mike, on Flickr

fargo, getting ready to go camping again by Mike, on Flickr

fargo at GMNF gate by Mike, on Flickr

I taped my bars, and I added some TOGs.

Finally wrapped the Jones bars... by Mike, on Flickr

This is the little bag that I have. I don't use it, PM me if you are interested, I'll see if I still have it and let it go cheap.

Wildcat Tomcat for Jones Loop. Will be part of my electronics charging / managing scheme for bikepacking. by Mike, on Flickr

I use the Jones ESI and I also use the simple Ergon grips (not the paddle ones, the longer straight ones... not sure on the model). I found the angle of the bars and my saddle to bar position needed tweaking - I also suffered hand fatigue when first moving to new bars until I got things dialed in.

Frosted by Mike, on Flickr

Surly Krampus in Bikepacking Kit by Mike, on Flickr

IMG_3774 by Mike, on Flickr


What gloves are you wearing? I moved to thin leather gloves, no serious padding or gel, unless I'm out for a quick hammer session on the single speed (rigid). I ride the same gloves on road / gravel / and my Krampus - made a huge difference - too much padding didn't work for me.

Depending on your cockpit you might be able to use the Revelate Harness and tuck the straps in and cinch it into the harness, maybe bring along a piece of ground cloth or Tyvek and wrap it first, then tuck it in.

How much gear are you carrying? Enough for day hikes? Are you carrying mountaineering equipment as well - crampons, axe, rope, anything else?

the one by Mike, on Flickr

I have in the past only boiled water for backpacker meals in a bag, and for coffee.
For actual cooking I would carry a wider set of pots, real food, my Trangia or my Whisperlite, and car camp, then ride all day.

The bonus to a wider pot is that with alcohol which has lower energy capacity than canister stoves is that more surface area seems* to work better at transferring heat to the pot and contents - which I believe is why Trangia sells the kit with the wider pots.

*But - wind, temperature, etc. etc. all play a role...

https://builtbyswift.com

Revelate Harness and a dry bag.

Well, as most things these days go:

Its the top half of a 9spd cassette. The cassette had to get modified a bit to fit on the Long SS hub. The guy who made it for me milled out some of the carrier so it would fit cleanly. Works awesome.



It’s all a compromise. Lots of steep punchy stuff here in the NE.

Rohloff - takes forever to engage compared to the King hub. I would stall out and get caught up ratcheting or negotiating technical bits - roll up to a log or roc, expect power, and its 1/4 revolution before you get it.

Love it for winter, snow, muck, gravel, mild single track schwacking. Aside from the weight. Hate it for pure MTB riding.

Running a mod’d cassette on a King hub. Would have to check - 30t up front. I think I have 32 as the large in the back. Not strong. Not superhuman. Just stubborn and looking for simplicity. Was gonna run SS by was worried about carrying gear and some longer climbs. Had been riding SS the season before. Other option was to toss the Rohloff back on but I don’t like it for technical terrain.

Fan of my 1x5 setup with thumbie... have used 1x9 as well. On the road / gravel I have sram 10 rear, friction double front.

If I was worried about a carbon frame I might put some clear racers tape or helicopter tape on the frame...
...but with steel I just don't worry about it.

I will have lived a good life if I wear out a frame from frame bags rubbing through paint... (nowhere close to that, to be fair...)

The best method I found is a standard 64oz kleen kanteen with an insulated bottle coozy. You can heat it up on your stove before bed and snuggle it all night for warmth.

I've frozen bottles, bladders, etc.
Best way I've found was to use a Nalgene or similar with an insulated cozy. And keep the bottle upside down.

IMG_9378 by Mike, on Flickr

This was a trip with a bladder in my frame bag. I slept with the bladder and filter overnight, but watched as I made coffee in the morning as the ice crystals froze moving down the hose...

Frosted by Mike, on Flickr

I recently got a hydroflask with the small lid for a holiday gift. It keeps coffee very hot, most of the day. The lid though is warm to the touch - so I'm losing heat out the top. I haven't tested it in the wild yet - just car trips and back and forth on errands around town.

I use the Ruthworks Brevet Bag (small) on the front of my IF. It fits my Canon M6 with room to spare. I plan to make a padded insert for it, but have been lazy. Now that I have an 18-150 lens I’ll need something other than a jacket of spare foam tossed in there.

I could mount to to my Krampus on the Jones bar - it uses Velcro straps through loops with a stabilizer. It would open backwards - but I’m sure if you contacted the awesome folks at Ruthworks they could make one with a backward flap.

Pic:
https://flic.kr/p/ZmfG7u

I 3D printed my own mount, but it broke after some use. Too thin. Instead of trying another I found these parts.

I bought this:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B017G545BG/ref=yo_ii_img?ie=UTF8&psc=1


And this:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MYBMGQR/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

MY favorite tire on my Fargo (miss that bike) was the WTB Vulpine.