Racks vs seatbags and handlebar bags

[ironbirdexplorer]

I've recently developed an interest in back country bike camping.  I don't know if that's technically the same as bikepacking, but it seems to be similar at least.  I travel cross country with racks and panniers for back country bike camping.  I do have a homemade framebag to carry things as well, but it doesn't seem to be as wide as some of the professionally made ones. 

I guess my question is what is the difference between back country bike camping and bikepacking?  Most people on this forum and site seem to use the seat bags / frame bags combo.  Why not racks?  What is the difference?

Thanks

Ironbirdexplorer

[Aslan]

Ironbird,

I recently got into bike packing after many years and thousands of miles of road and dirt road touring with both panniers and bob trailers.   If you just want to ride double track and dirt roads a bob trailer works fine.  Panniers are superior for the road.   For bikepacking, here is the difference: Singletrack.  It is no fun with a panniers or trailers; however, if you go light enough you can ride it with a seat bag, under the bar system, framebag and back pack.   The key is to get your base weight down.  Think ultra light weight backpacking.   I even went so far as to get a postal scale and weigh all my gear.  If you can get it all under 20lbs sans food and distribute it evenly you will be happier.  Also, keep as much as you can on the bike and off your back.  Can a rack work, sure. But racks add unneeded weight and can fail if overloaded.  I hope that helps.

[AZTtripper]

That pretty much sums it up.

I would also say that most bikepackers plan on riding more then hanging out in camp. No matter how you carry your gear what is your goal. If your goal is to cover ground get way out in the back country and only stop long enough to sleep that's bikepacking. If you do a shorter ride to get to some cool camp site to hang out and enjoy nature that's bike camping both have their merits. Just my .02.

[Outsider]

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I guess my question is what is the difference between back country bike camping and bikepacking?  Most people on this forum and site seem to use the seat bags / frame bags combo.  Why not racks?  What is the difference?
...

...Can a rack work, sure. But racks add unneeded weight and can fail if overloaded.  I hope that helps.

I actually use a rack on my Fargo and will also use one on my soon-to be ready Pugsley, in addition to a fairly large framebag and handlebar bag. A rack does weigh about 20 oz, but gets the weight notably lower than a seat bag (at least for a person of my height). I then just strap a dry bag to the rack. The key to bikepacking, as mentioned above, is to go ultralight. Low weight and a small packed size is essential for every piece of gear, in my opinion.

[Done]

For technical mountain-biking, racks and panniers are heavy and bulky, but they are also very flexible and keep weight off your back.

Those who ride with lightweight seat packs, frame packs, and handlebar bags usually need to carry a pack as well, which some find uncomfortable. But this approach is nice and light, and the bike is well-balanced, which is a big advantage when riding technical trails and big climbs.

I rode the CTR with panniers, and they actually worked pretty well. Hike-a-bike sections were a little annoying because my legs hit the bags. The biggest downside was the extra weight (racks and panniers are HEAVY)! But I also really liked not carrying anything more than a hydration pack on my back. I also liked being able to carry bulky foods like bagels and Poppycock, which wouldn't have been possible otherwise. While panniers worked, I'm exploring lighter-weight options for next year--including the possibility of building my own bags.

I've only used a Bob once, to carry everyone's gear for a group ride on smooth double-track--and it was great. But I can't imagine using on anything steep or technical--I think that I would lose my mind.

As far as the distinction between "back country bike camping" and "bikepacking," I'm not sure that there really is much of one. "Bikepacking" is nice and short though--and it parallels the term "backpacking" both in construction and meaning. Some backpackers go light and fast, and some go slow and heavy--and the same can be true of bikepacking. The whole "bikepacking" thing is relatively new though, and perhaps the meaning of the word will change in its scope over time.