First Timer Needing Advice

[eastsideride]

Hey everyone,

I'm planning my first "bikepacking" trip starting the first weekend of March (just around the corner). A friend and I will be riding from Pittsburgh to D.C. He has a Salsa Deadwood which he bought and is building to do the great divide in July. I however, am planing to use my Trek Domane SL 6 Disc. The ride is hard pack trail and some pavement so my bike should be fine. Im changing out my tires to LT2 tires instead of my smooth road performance tires. Overall distance is ~325mi and we hope to leave Friday and arrive by Sunday/Monday then take the Amtrak train back.

I was planning on buying a frame bag, large rear seat bag, and a handlebar bag that fits in between the drops. I will also have my Camelbak (its a mule so it has cargo storage too).

Item wise, I was planning to bring:

• Sleeping bag
• Bivy
• Repair kit + extra tubes
• Small first aid kit
• Lights
• Garmin Edge 520
• Battery pack
• lightweight raincoat + pants (they fit into small bags that they came in)
• Spare t-shit, socks and underwear
• thermal skull cap
• thermal leg and arm warmers
• energy sups and snacks (food along the way)

What I plan to wear:

• Pearl Izumi knickers
• Bontrager B2 Baselayer (50% blend, 50& merino wool
• Cycling zip-up jersey
• Bontrager RXL 180 Softshell jacket
• high socks

What do you guys think? Too much? Any suggestions on how to carry everything? I was thinking I could place the sleeping bag in the bivy and roll it up in between the drops instead of a handlebar bag.

Thanks! (p.s. here is a pic of my bike in the attachments)

[sdr]

The one thing that I see missing from your list, for an early March ride, is cold weather riding gloves.

This may help answer some of your questions. https://youtu.be/keOBaeFrwxY It's a video I made to show my non-riding friends just what I take and how it's packed. 

[eastsideride]

The one thing that I see missing from your list, for an early March ride, is cold weather riding gloves.

This may help answer some of your questions. https://youtu.be/keOBaeFrwxY It's a video I made to show my non-riding friends just what I take and how it's packed. 

I forgot to mention those haha! Great video by the way!

Would you recommend a fully enclosed bivy or doing an open bivy with a tarp to tie overtop?

[harryonaspot]

I would leave the Garmin and battery pack home. Really hard to get lost. Plan on rain and cold damp weather. Sucks to be cold.  Also some resupply spots are probably closed that time of year. 

[offroute]

Considering Harry's weather prediction, I think a tent is worth bringing. Many lightweight and small options exist for 1-P tents.

A bivy sack looks great on paper, but once you've spent the night in one during a storm you'll realize that saving weight via sleeplessness is a bad value. A pole or other means to loft the shoulder area changes everything. Stiff wire a la Bibler doesn't cut it for lounging or sleeping.

Modern UL tents are just as light and compact as many bivy sacks. I spent 40 nights in a Nemo Hornet 1P last year, and was very happy with its performance. Right off the shelf – no seam sealing.

A tarp is a valid direction, but you'll spend more time finding a good site and pitching it than a semi-freestanding tent.

Have fun tooling up!

[sdr]

eastsideride, thank you for the compliment.

Have never used a bivy so I can't comment there. I like the protection a tent affords.

[eastsideride]

Thanks fellas for all the great tips!

Harry, I figured I'd be stuck in crappy weather, unfortunately its the best time for me to take time to ride. The Garmin was just so I could record the ride (LOL) and the battery pack I may need for my phone.

Offroute, the one person tent is sounding really ideal. The more I have searched on bivys, the less I like them. Currently I am debating between a small compact-able tent or a hammock with a rain tarp (since they take up barely any space and take you off the ground.

I want to keep this trip somewhat inexpensive, so tents I know can be costly. Hammocks seem very cheap and a rain tarp is definitely cheap. Suggestions on those options?


By the way, I am ordering a Revelate Designs Salsa Warbird 9 53/55 frame bag (since it fits slightly smaller than the interior of the frame), Revelate Designs Viscacha Seat Bag, and a Revelate Designs Gas Tank Top. Luckily I work for a big shop so the pricing for those is reduced to make it worth buying. 

[black_labb]

You don't mention a sleeping mat. Not only do they help with comfort but they insulate you from the ground keeping you warm. Similarly in a hammock you will get cold coming from underneath as the air temperature drops and the wind blows under you. I'm not sure what your experience camping is like but I would be inclined to not skimp on sleep basics until you have a bit of experience and know what you personally can go without.

If your sleeping bag may not be warm enough a bivy will help with warmth but from what I've seen most people who take bivies will have a tarp with them as well. I've never used a bivy as it seems to me like you often end up approaching the weight of a lightweight tent by the time you have your bivy, tarp, stakes, lines and even sometimes poles to set it up. I can see it being worthwhile with multiple people where there is one tarp and everyone has their bivy when it comes time to sleep.

[sdr]

Check out REI.com and go to the REI garage. They have several UL 1 person tents in there right now at a good discount. I bought two Big Agnes tents there, a 1p and 2p

[Crash]

Big Savage Tunnel is closed until sometime in April. The detour around is not easy.

[Crash]

Go to hammockforums.net for the best advice on hammocks.

[eastsideride]

Blacklab and sdr, I looked into 1P tents a lot. I have a Nemo 3P tent but its too large to carry with me. Plus I want to be light as possible. I am looking into an under-quilt possibly for the hammock as long as its a light one. I'm very used to the cold so I could probably do without the under-quilt. The sleeping bag I am using is rated for much colder temps too which helps.

Big Savage Tunnel is closed until sometime in April. The detour around is not easy.

I actually wasn't aware of that, that makes the adventure even more exciting then. At least the detour is only 2 miles longer with a nice long decent. I am used to biking in the city of Pittsburgh on busy roads, so the main road traffic should be fine. I wish we were able to bike in April though! Much nicer weather... http://linkup.shaw-weil.com/detoursavage.htm

[Dingo]

If you decide on a hammock I would highly suggest a proper underquilt or at least a wide pad. If temp is below 70 you will get cold in hammock after a few minutes.

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[black_labb]

If you decide on a hammock I would highly suggest a proper underquilt or at least a wide pad. If temp is below 70 you will get cold in hammock after a few minutes.

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I will second that. A hammock seems like a good lightweight option but in all but the warmest of weather you will need something under you to keep you warm and ultimately you will probably end up with a heavier setup than a tent. Some people prefer the hammock for sleeping quality and other features but it is not going to be lighter with all things being equal. 

[eastsideride]

Thanks guys for all the assistance! I think I have the whole setup dialed in now.

I am going for the sleeping bag in the hammock method. I was able to score a lightweight hammock and sleeping bag both with compression bags that will make them both pretty small so they can fit on the bike well. I do have a thin thermal pad that I'll have under the sleeping bag so that should help with the temps. I think I'll be fairly warm. The bag I bought is rated for 0F. I also bought tree straps and a rain fly.

Looking forward to this trip. My buddy and I are ready to take the hard road route around Big Savage Tunnel and check out DC for the first time!

[bakerjw]

I have a Eureka Midori Solo tent. It is a tad heavier than some but bulletproof in rain. Also make sure that you have a pad. It will make the difference between being cold and comfortable.

I know that you want to keep expenses down, but look at your gear as investments for the future.

[Bossanova]

Myself and 2 friends are doing this ride in May 28 - June 2. Spending extra night in Ohiopyle to ride single track.

We found this site has a lot of info for planning:
http://www.bikecando.com/

[eastsideride]

Myself and 2 friends are doing this ride in May 28 - June 2. Spending extra night in Ohiopyle to ride single track.

We found this site has a lot of info for planning:
http://www.bikecando.com/

Thats awesome! I wish my friend and I could go around then but he will be preparing for the great divide. If this trip goes well I will be participating in Crush the Commonwealth and I will probably to Pitt to DC again the opposite way.

[offroute]

I have to be able to eek out a last XX miles and throw down a slealth bivy wherever I end up. I can't see that happening if my bivy depends on two trees of a given dia., a given distance apart. Am I missing something?

Sleeping pad, definitely. Closed-cell foam or bust here, trimmed to shoulder-hip length. I like my old, smashed-down ones unless it's cold.

[eastsideride]

I have to be able to eek out a last XX miles and throw down a slealth bivy wherever I end up. I can't see that happening if my bivy depends on two trees of a given dia., a given distance apart. Am I missing something?

Sleeping pad, definitely. Closed-cell foam or bust here, trimmed to shoulder-hip length. I like my old, smashed-down ones unless it's cold.

Along the route I'm taking, its all woods for 300 miles. I talked to a guy who came in my shop the other day and he talked about using a hammock for the trip. I'll use the hammock a lot at home anyways. I may purchase a 1P tent for other trips but not for this one right now.

My next trip will probably be Crush the Commonwealth, so I wont even need and sleeping gear as I'll just lay on the floor in a hotel with random people for 4 hours or something... lol