Bike - Where to begin?

[carlsonnathan]

I've been bikepacking but have taken the roads. I'm now looking to get off the roads with it but not sure where to begin with looking for a bike. Need some help...

[sliggins]

start with where you plan to ride how big of trips you plain on doing and how much gear you need to bring. any bike built for mtb. can be used for bikepacking. bikes built around low maintenance are preferred less moving parts and knowing how two fix your bike go a long way having a bike that fits you properly is important. budget= how much your looking to spend. theres a nice jones bike for sale here on this form but i have 0 budget for that so i'm dusting off my 19 year old mtb. it has it's faults for bikepacking. but will get the job done. fat bike for snow winter rides probably a must. more people will chime in if you give a little more information   

[nick]

that's what's so good about bikepacking, anything will do. well within reason of course...

[sthig]

Matthew Lee said we pack for our fears... Its true.

[carlsonnathan]

Well, I'm looking for a bike that will be able to handle anything that I come across. I'll be starting with smaller trips, a few days into a week. I'm not a racer nor looking for those extreme conditions right now. I'm looking for something affordable. My budget would be limited

[sliggins]

a good local bike shop might be best to start looking. buying used might get more for your money but might end up paying more in the long run for worn out parts. if you already have a mtb. maybe a few simple changes to your current bike will do as far as setting up for comfort. for multi day trips. most new bikes have the basics needed for bikpacking disk brakes, lockout fork, wider tires. swept back bars and a saddle that is comfortable to you maybe upgrades to any mtb. off the shelf or used that you might want to upgrade for comfort. i'm new to bikepacking myself, but have over 20 years experience in cycling of all types. and 3 years of lightweight backpacking. it seems from the market that surly, and salsa make the best bang for your $ bikes for bikepacking specific bikes, but that doesn't mean that you can't take a $400 of the shelf bike with a few changes to get you out on the trail. i hope this helps and maybe someone with more miles of off road experience can chime in. 

[nick]

Seriously, dont get hung up on the gear. Anything will do. An old properly functioning mtb and a backpack is all you need. Just get out, after a few trips you'll see what works for you and buy stuff as you need it.

[sthig]

What nick said!

I got all wrapped up in gear and in the end before I did the Tour Divide I went with:

"things that are simple"
"things that are sturdy"
"things that could act as two things" (a jacket can also be a pillow)

[carlsonnathan]

Yea, I'm not focused on the gear. I have good gear already or know what kind of gear I need. I'm just focused on trying to figure out how to go about finding the bike...

[nick]

Salsa elmariachi is pretty much the standard frame. It comes in a bunch of price range from expensive to fairly affordable.  Anything along those lines.

[sthig]

I used a Niner S.I.R. which is also not cheap, but it did the job (Steel frame)

[carlsonnathan]

Is steel frame the way to go? What about suspension? With what I've been reading, the feelings are both ways with the front suspension

[sthig]

I rode a steel frame (which gives a little) rigid over the Tour Divide... grueling at times, thankful most of the time.

[wahday]

Not to dodge the question, but it is true that many bikes will do what you need.

My first bikepacking rig was a 90’s Gary Fisher HooKooEeKoo. Totally rigid, flat top tube, mediocre components. But it was great!

I have also used a 26” aluminum framed Klein with a suspension fork. Also great and I did not feel like the aluminum beat me up too badly.

Currently I have an El Mar with suspension fork that I use for bikepacking (still have the Klein too). Definitely the nicest bike I have owned and the steel frame is very sweet. But really, its not such a difference from that Gary Fisher or Klein in getting me where I want to go in the backcountry.

If you are looking to spend some dough, though, I would put my support behind the Salsa El Mariachi. That frame will last a lifetime and its very comfortable to ride. And it comes spec’d at 3 levels, so you can choose to pay more for good componentry now, or upgrade as you replace. All three levels are solid, though (I think the lowest level does not have a tubeless wheelset if that matters to you). The other bike I might look at is a Surly Krampus. The reviews are great. It’s all rigid, but with the 29+ tires, still has some cush. Being a Surly, it is one tough muther and well suited for backcountry adventure.

But really, if you have a reasonably solid bike, I might focus on doing more trips before deciding what ride best fits your needs.

[carlsonnathan]

Thanks all, I've been browsing lately and feel like I have a better base.

[SlowRide]

What nick said!

I got all wrapped up in gear and in the end before I did the Tour Divide I went with:

"things that are simple"
"things that are sturdy"
"things that could act as two things" (a jacket can also be a pillow)

Agreed, my question to myself when packing for the TDR was "what do I really need to ride my bike all day?" I kept coming up with the same answer... "not much."