I have not used them with a bike yet but they are a great option. I have to say all my trips were on the long distance trains in the west.
They have plenty of luggage space for 'carry-on' luggage, but unlike the plane this could be an entire bike! They have a large shelf area at the entry of each car that would easily fit a bike or two. As well as several other peoples suitcases. (2 8'x4'shelves if I remember) As to the rules regarding this, that is a different question.

They run some great routes. What about the Kokopelli trail? Bike down to Moab, bike or take a shuttle to Green River and train back to CO.

They even come stock on the Salsa Fargo touring bike I believe. Also did you read that article from the German Bike magazine and Schwalbe that a wider tire at lower pressure was faster on rough gravel then a slightly narrower tire, or one at a higher pressure? So I would sy go bigger: less rolling resistance, more comfort and control, more offroad capability.
BTW stated tire width bears little relation to actual width, some 2.0' are much wider than other 2.3's! Check the fori(forums? foria?) for real relative widths.

I want to ship both my bike and my wife's. Luckily her bike has a Talas fork, which I just remembered. By dropping the fork from 140mm to 100 mm you cut 80mm of the dimensional weight calculator, which just brings it under 130". Fedex came up with $46. That's more like what I was thinking of.

The problem is my bike. It is an XL(21") full suspension 29er, with a 120mm fork. The fork is 32" tall and the bike is about 60" long(with the front wheel off.) I have heard suggestions to take the rear wheel out as well, I might try that. Then it is just at 130".

I looked at Greyhound too, They are very cheap, it seems like  they don't care what size your package is, just how much it weighs. They have a $1000 liability limit though. I shipped my freestyle kayak from Seattle  to MN for a about $100, for a 7'x2.1'x1' package, that's great! Also an advantage for a bikepacking trip is that you don't need an address to ship too, you just pick it up at the station and they are open long hours.

[BIG]

Hi I want to take a trip with my bike. What have you found for reasonable shipping costs for a BIG bike? I don't care about time. Within the continental US.

Wouldn't it be better to place the introduction thread in the  'bikepacking' forum rather than Q&A?
It is after all, neither questions nor answers, but it is essays and passion.

No, I didn't try the regular Evo's yet. But I was thinking the same thing, that's why I posted this, so you (and others) could make the right choice. Why don't you get the regular ones and let us know, then we'll have a complete picture.

I just did a few rides with the Evo Xc's and they are grewat to pedal in, they just disappear on your legs. They would make a nice kneewarmer option because they can be put on or taken off from the side, no need to remove or wrestle shoes.

Take a look at the Granite Gear ultralight rolltop models http://www.granitegear.com/products/overview/backpacks/ultralight.html or, if you want beefier fabric, the Alpine Vapor http://www.granitegear.com/products/backpacks/technical/alpinevapor.html. They are light, have decent capacity and with the rolltop and flat lid they are not to high for bikepacking. Tall backpack hit you in the head when braking or looking up.
Depending on the size you need, they have beefier hipbelts, but they are interchangeable I believe so you can add a thinner belt to make them more flexible and comfortable for biking.

I slammed into the kitchen floor with my knee and hit my palm with a hammer and they do not offer a ton of protection, I'd say about the same as my 15 mm neoprene Fox underpads (yes, that's underpants with a stuffy nose  ), but way more comfy.

So what do you think a bikepacking bike needs to be/do?
What I mean is the list of requirements that any design process starts with.
Here is what I was thinking, let's hear some other opinions.

    * durability - obviously a ‘packing bike is subjected to higher loads and will be used for several days in a row, so this is paramount.
    * comfort - a backpack makes cockpit positioning more critical and the extra weight makes impacts harder.
    * control - It is also less easy to control your body and bike with higher center of gravity, and more weight.
    * low rolling resistance - the goal is to cover some ground after all, especially and often on sand and rocky terrain, since the longer routes are not as likely to be in great shape all of the way as a 2 hour sunday morning ride.
    * efficient pedaling - it’s hard enough work already.
    * stiff frame and wheels - for better control with a heavier load
    * low weight - there is enough extra weight in the camping gear and food. Also bikepacking rides have a larger proportion of hike-a-bikes than normal rides.

I just bought a pair of 661 Evo XC kneepads. They are a thinner version of the Evbo pads using D3O as well. They are very thin(about 7mm D3o) and flexible. They are precurved and did not feel like they would inhibit movement at all. They are perforated though out the entire D3O pad so they should breathe quite well. If they do bother you, they can be taken off with removing shoes etc. because the sides open up completely.

They are very thin. They offer minimal protection, think of this as a rash and bruise prevention, not full on kneepads in the usual bike/skate sense. I think they will be a great option for XC style riding(as they name says ;-) whith shorts, giving you a bit more protection than long pants with better venting.

The weight is 316 g (11oz) of my size S/M pair.

They would do well as kneewarmers because they are so comfortable and breathable, much better than others. Also because you can take them on and off easy. I think the elbow version of these would be great, as you tend not to land so hard on your elbows.

It depends on what kind of trip you are doing (miles, timeframe and acces etc.) as well as what kind of GPS you are taking, mapping or non-mapping and what the quality if maps is that are on there. If you want to ride true off-road there are few onboard GPS maps that offer that level of detail. Is there a chance that you will change your raoute? What if an emergency happens? All these factors affect if you need a map and what level of map is acceptable.

Yeah the good news is that ultra-light is iften also ultra cheap, after if you don't take it with you it doesn't weigh anything. There are several threads on here and Backpackinglight.com about cheap gear solutions. If you go in a mild season you don't need much for shelter and clothing.

You should absolutely not use that kind of pack in regular backpacking style. I have ridden with those kinds of backpacks a lot, just to get to the train station or so and it is horrible even on the road, let alone off-road,.your center of gravity is so high, you get hit in the head and it is very uncomfortable with the shoulderstraps since your arms are permanently bent forward rubbing on the sides of the strap. Also the stiff frame and hipbelt want to force the pack straight up, while your back is bent.

As suggested above you might want to try loading it up very light. Take of the lid and loosen the hipbelt tension straps(the ones that go to the side of the hipbelt) also loosen the load lifters a lot. If possible remove the framestays.

If you are getting a rigid rear bike then a rack is a cheap and easy option to try bikepacking. Combine with a smaller pack, preferable something not to tall.

First off it depends on the size of your bags and items you're carrying, they have to fit in a bag to go there! If possible try and aim for some of these points:

• weight distribution: when you sit on the bike with your backpack on and bike loaded is the weight still close to 60/40% rear/front?  Is the weight as low as possible? You don't want your bike to handle poorly.
• clearance: will you have room to pedal, to stand up and lean formward, to slide of the back of the seat and lean the bike over? Will the suspension have room to compress? Will low bags clear rocks and brush along the trail? Will the backpack hit you in the back of the head on descents or when you brake or look up?
• acces:  can you easily reach drink, food, maps and warmer clothes?

Often compromises will have to be made.

Has anyone tried mounting bar ends to the inside of the shifters/brakes? It might not be the best position for climbing power but it would seem more comfy and aero for smooth trail and road riding.

I Dutch forum pointed to this site and I really like what I see and read:)
Martijn AKA Cubeman

Graag gedaan ;-)

I have been frustrated with the lack of bikepackers on other sites so I am always happy when I can show someone else bikepacking.net. Thanks Scott and all the members.

I agree with FD, pretty much the same as hiking gear expect for the boots and trekking poles but add your biking gear.
Try and pack it all on the bike and go for a little ride around some neighborhood singletrack to see how the weight distribution is and if everything stays in place.
Plan a shorter ride than you would otherwise do to allow for a lower riding speed and time spent fiddling with gear.

I was thinking about it. I've debated getting one of the combo tire/shock pumps, but I've not heard good things about them.

I thought you had the Propshock pump that can be used as a replacement strut in place of a dead shock? I thought that sounded cool.

I'd say, if you wear armor on a trail normally then definately wear it 'packing. You will have less control and are further from home when bikepacking, so protection becomes more of an issue. Volume of pads should not be an issue as you can strap them to the outside of something but of course they do add weight.

Not a book but Singletrack magazine has had several articles on bikepacking from feature articles on riding the Ukraine to how to's on bivy camping.
If you are not in the UK they offer an digital subscription if you find the newstand price a bit much. Unlinke most American magazines they actually have reading in there believe it or not!