Thanks for the PM Matty. I'm definittely keen for a ride sometime, will PM you back soon to set up details.

I'm going to join some group (road) rides over the enxt few weeks as well to see if i can meet some local cyclists

I've just moved to San Francisco and am interested in doing some bikepacking while i'm here. I havn't done much mountain biking but hope to get myself some skills ASAP! If anyone here rides in the SF area and is interested in taking some trips let me know, otherwise if you can offer any advice on where to ride that would be great too

Friday the 9th is no good for me (i'm doing the Baw Baw challenge on the 10th). I'd be keen for something on ANZAC Day weekend tho if anyone is interested? Leaving sat arvo/night would be best for me.

Seems like reasonable advice OurMan, plust the fact that it's a zero-cost venture i guess i'll throw the old tyres on and see how they go.

Thats a good story about the Conti GP4's as well, i'm on Gatorskins at the mo, done a few hundred k's so far with no probs, got about 400 planned for the easter so will see  how they go.

How much room? Well, lots. I haven't measured but i think 45mm would fit easily on the front. the rear is a little less spacious but i think 40-45 would be possible. As for what type of off roading i want to do, i have no idea. As i've never really ridden off road at all i don't know what to expect, except that whatever gear i get now is likely to be replaced once i learn a bit more. I guess i'm just looking for something that will aloow me to try out a few different paths and see what takes my fancy.

Take a look at the Schwalbe Landcruiser ...

I can find them out here (we have the internet after all ) but can only find 26", does anyone know if they're available in 700c? otherwise anything else worth looking at?

I have a Specialized Tricross which I want to take off road for the first time ASAP, with a view to doing a first bikepacking trip in the next few months. As someone who has never purchased off-road tyres i have no idea what i should look for. Either flat out brand/model recommendations or tips on how to select something approipriate would be great.

For the record, i'm currently using the stock wheelset (700c) with 28mm Gatorskins. The bike came with wider (maybe 32-34mm) specialized branded tyres but i don't remember the model.

Do you guys use regular sewing machines for constructing bike bags or do you need something with a bit more power?

Stevage, at the mo i'm planning to leave from Kew sp basically from the CBD. I'm also considering training as far as Geelong, i did ATB this year (anticlockwise) and was glad that the melbourne-geelong section was mostly in the dxark as it's pretty booring out there, don't see a lot of point doing it agina except to say that i've ridden melbourne to adelaide!

This is my thread and i'm happy for it to be hijacked, but thelankymanx has just started a thread to discuss details of other route/trips here, you might be interested

Lukey: i might be departing adelaide around the 11th of jan, let me know if you're in that area.

Lanky: I've just found that Feb is not much good for me, i could do late Jan or ealy April (easter W/E or the one after) but not much in between. let me know if either of those work for you.

Stevage/thelankymanx, I'd be keen for a weekend trip sometime soon (well before winter anyway) but will have to wait till i get some more gear (like, for instance, a mountain bike!). In the mean time my plans have changed and i'll be heading to adelaide via the great ocean road just after new years, departing melbourne on the 2nd or 3rd. f either of you are interested in joining me for any portion of the trip you're welcome.

I once found a piece of string and a couple of old cans.  I tied one end to a spoke, and the cans inside my tent.

Brilliant! I have been thinking about security before my first trip and had vaguely thought of tying a string to the bike and to my wrist/ankle but abandoned the idea in case of injury, this is a much better solution.

Long is exactly what i was after, it's about 700km to paynesville then another 400km home.

As long as things go to plan logistics won't be a problem on this trip, i get to walk out my front door and hop on the bike then arrive home the same way. If things don't go to plan then there's the V-line from wangaratta or shepparton, or from Bairnsdale if i'm out of time to ride home.

Thanks for the route i'll keep that one in mind, and check out Keiran Ryan's book as well

I've got a couple of threads running over in the General section ,thought i'd take the time to introduce myself.

I'm from Melbourne, Australia and have been regularly cycling for about 3 years now. I recently did some touring in Europe and have got the bug for long distance travel by bike. While reasearching for that trip i found this website and instantly loved the idea of bikepacking. I'm currently planning an onroad trip (as i've never really ridden offroad) but i'm on a Cross bike so am keen to take it off road and see what sort of terrain i can handle on it. Maybe i'll do a few off road trips on it before committing to an MTB for something more serious.

This is an awesome forum, i've gleaned heaps of info from it already. I'd love to hear from any other Aussies on here about where to ride etc

>Where are you going, out of curiosity? I'm from Melbourne.

I'm from melbourne as well. This trip is a first step towards bikepacking, i've done a bit of touring but stayed on hotels/hostels. This time i'm carrying camping gear but doing road riding and camping either in proper campsites (for longer rests) or wherever i can find sapce to pitch the tent for a few hours.

The route i'm planning is from my home, up though marysville to benalla, on to the border of NSW at Yarrawonga, back down through Bright and over Hotham, then down to Paynesville on the Gippsland lakes. I've got friends there who i'll stay with for a few days recovery (or a week if needed!) then head back to melbourne through south gippsland.

Thanks Sherpa, just the confidence i need before spending a few hundred on a new bit of kit. I think i'll go buy it before someone posts to the contrary 

I'm looking at buying some kit for my first bikepackling experience, at themoment my preferred setup will be a tarptent (contrail) with a Western Mountaineering down sleeping bag. The trip i'm planning is in Victoria (Australia) during January so the chance of rain is minimal, but i'm a bit concerened about havin a down bag on a wet trip and not being able to get any sleep if it gets wet.

If you have a down bag, how do you go about keeping it dry? Should i get a synthetic bag and just deal with the fact that it weighs twice as much?

For those of you using contrail or sublite tarptents, do you carry poles with you or rely on finding trees in suitable locations to hang it from?

Also, is it possible to use your bike as the pole for the contrail? Seems like the pole is placed vertically in the centre so using the bike upside down with either the forks or wheel supporting the tent might work, not sure if the frame would get in the way of the mesh or fly though.