What kind of bike do you use for multi-day trips?

[Jilleo]

I'm working on a series for the Adventure Cycling blog about off-road bicycle travel. As such, I was hoping to compile a list of ideal mountain bikes for bikepacking trips and was hoping to get some suggestions here.

So my questions is, what kind of mountain bike do you use on your overnight trips and why? Any response is appreciated! (If you can include your full name and hometown, that's also appreciated. Private messages are fine.)

Thanks,

Jill Homer
Adventure Cycling Association

[sherpaxc]

Hardtail with front suspension mountain bike.

Travis Butler
Austin, TX

[Jilleo]

Thanks Travis! I'm looking for a few specific details, such as frame and fork model, etc. Example: I ride a Surly Karate Monkey, geared, with a Reba fork. I like this bike for overnight trips because it's comfortable and dependable, and built of steel (both literally, and in its seemingly unbreakable structure.)

[Done]

This year: 1994 Cannondale Delta V 700 (hard-tail), with freshly upgraded wheels, drivetrain, brakes, etc. I love it because it is incredibly dependable, I've ridden it for so long that it feels like a part of my body, and I know how to fix everything on it.
Next year: 2011 Cannondale RZ One Twenty 1 (full suspension). While I generally prefer the precision and simplicity of a hard-tail, I've decided that I need something that allows me to descend technical Colorado trails more quickly and safely. The RZ is a relatively simple suspension design, and seems to have a decent durability/weight ratio. Plus, I love the Cannondale Lefty--it looks funny, but it's smooth and light.

I completed the CTR with retro panniers this year, which actually worked out pretty well--very flexible, but heavy. This winter, I'll be figuring out something that will have some of the flexibility of panniers, but lighter. I would just go with the trend of seat/frame/handlebar bags and a pack, but I really don't want to carry that much on my back. Hopefully the ideas that I'm noodling around will result in something lighter than panniers, and I still won't need to carry a pack.

[jhl99]

I think the 'ideal' bike is in the eye of the beholder.

Not sure if my bike is even ideal for me, but it gets the job done, and is used for off road touring, commuting and general riding....last couple of years, this has been my only bike.  2004 Cannondale F500 (Aluminum hardtail)  Super Fatty Headshock.  (Air spring with lockout).  3X8 drivetrain, 26" wheels, friction bar shifters, v brakes, SPD pedals, old school Scott ATB bars that wrap into 'bar ends'.  Front and rear racks. Conventional water bottle cages.

The only thing I carry on body is a fanny pack that contains camera equipment, gps, compass, lighter, keys and wallet.

What I really like is the precision of the fork. Additonally, when it is locked out, it is 100% locked out... great for dirt roads. aluminum is good for the winter commuting here in Pittsburgh, PA... don't have to worry about road salt rusting the frame.

As you can tell from the photo below, my complete rig is probably lagging the current conventional wisdom by about 10-15 years technology wise...doesn't bother me.

[Marshal]

Marshal Bird, Woodland Park Colo


Disclaimer: Personal preference thumps all in bike choice but here is what makes the best multi-day bike from a purely practical point of view-----------

Ideal Multi Day Bike:

Wheel Size—29er
Shallower angle of attack has many benefits for the multi day rider/racer  Ie: smoothes out the bumps more than a smaller wheel, works better in the sand and a 29er in the front means a tired rider is less likely to endo on steep descents with large drop offs.

Tires:
Personal choice but should be suitable for the chosen route and should be run tubeless to avoid wasted time with unnecessary flats

Frame material:
Ti is best for the following reasons (in order of importance):
1)   durable
2)   has the best damping characteristics
3)   light
No other material can offer all three, steel comes in second

Frame design:
Hard Tail (or soft tail) with full main triangle.  A full main triangle allows for a full frame bag or a large bag+ a water bottle.  This is important to the multi-day rider so as to remove as much weight as possible from the back pack and also to ensure good weight distribution -handling

Front Suspension:
There is no technical or ‘reliability’ reason to use a rigid fork with today’s offerings of durable, light weight front suspensions forks.

Drive Train:  
Standard 9 speed in the rear, 1,2 or 3 in the front depending on intended multi day route (& perhaps the new 2 x 10 system for the pure muti-day racer

Brakes:
Disk

One Example:
Carver Ti 29er frame with Reba fork etc etc

[Jilleo]

Fantastic tips, Marshall, thanks!

[12wheels]

I prefer reliable gear over flash and use a TST produced ti Mongoose hardtail from 1999 or 2000 with an ancient Manitau SXR fork which refuses to die.  It's equiped with V brakes, 8 speed cassette, XT/XTR derailleurs, and Sram Plasma gripshifters.  Eventually I might convert to a 29er with disk brakes and a modern fork but 9 or 10 speed drivetrains don't really offer any advantages over my current set-up.

[Slowerthensnot]

Siren John Henry- steel 29er rigid, fixed, five bottle mounts, groovy luv haddles (handlebar)

http://www.sirenbicycles.com/johnhenry.html

Singular Gryphon- steel drop bar 29er, fixed, salsa woodchipper bar

http://www.singularcycles.com/gryphon.html

The Siren is my goto rig for more techy, rocky, routes where i'm on and off my saddle more often. The singular is the ultimate all day rig for more mellow single track and gravel roads.

Having Eric at Ground Up Designs build me a titanium copy of the singular with a few tweaks

http://www.groundupdesigns.com/

I love the big wheels for mutiday... don't care for the unreliable nature of suspension and the wight... being able to get water off my back is a big deal because thats the heaviest item i'm carrying.

[wdlandparker]

Rigid steel Surly Karate Monkey 29er, fixed gear, 2(ideally 3) bottle mounts, Titec H-bar.

The ideal bike for me, aside from a custom of course, I have a rack on the back for carrying bulky light stuff, e.g. sleeping pad, food, bivy sack, and strap my sleeping bag to the handlebars.
Generally I run a 2"-2.1" tire in the rear and a 2.3" in the front for mostly singletrack, and 2" tires front and back for more gravlelly stuff.

[ss1010123]

Thanks for sharing these info with us!
I will keep in touch with your blogreading..
Stumbled your URL…
have a great day

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[sherpaxc]

Ok, I'll try again.
Custom steel True Fabrication Hardtail 29er.  1 rigid SS one geared and front suspension.  I've used both on trips and I prefer the suspension and gears in the mountains.  Less overall fatigue.  But there is always that nagging feeling that something is gonna break.  I just don't have that thought with the rigid SS.

3 bottle mounts with full frame bag/seatpack/handlebar bag.  Trying to keep as much weight off the back as possible.  By doing that my butt doesn't hurt as bad the next day!

Sounds like a cool article.  I look forward to reading it as we all know how awesome you write.

[sherpaxc]

Forgot to include a pic...

[Aslan]

For longer (more than a week) and more remote (rural backroads or other countries) reliability and simplicity trump everything else.  My set up for those kind of trips that are mostly dirt roads is....

1995 Moots YBB titanium softtail with 26" wheels, front suspension, and old school V brakes towing a BOB trailer.  Reliable, repairable, indestructible.

For Bikepacking type trips that are usually shorter than 2 weeks and on a combination of singletrack and dirt roads where handling and on the bike comfort are paramount I use...

2007 Moots Cinco titanium front / aluminum rear five inch travel air sprung full suspension frame.  It has double cartridge pivot bearings for reliability and a simple 'faux bar' design.  For the gear, I go light with the standard combo of relevate/epic seat bag, frame bag, bar bag and then a light backpack.

[Singlespeedpunk]

We I only own 2 bikes and one is an Xtracycle cargo bike so not great off road / long trips.

OS Bikes Blackbuck 29er:
Rigid, steel, singlespeed (have run with 6gears and thumbshifter for Nepal...didn't help much) with lowish gear, flat pedals, Titec Jones bars with Ergons, WTB Rocket saddle and cancreek ST suspension post. Avid mechanical disc brakes.

Tyres are changed according to trip: 700x45c slicks on the road, Weirwold LTs for mixed and Racing Ralph / WTB Stout for tough off road stuff. Self sealing tubes help too...

Full set of Revelate / Epic bars: Seat bag, handlebar harness, gas tank and full frame bag. Also use a 12L Inov8 pack if needed.



Alex

[DaveC]

Most often I pick my full suspension Lenz Leviathan. 

Properly maintained suspension is just as reliable as a rigid bike, saves a ton of energy, is faster, safer, and more fun.

The Leviathan features relaxed geometry (slack head and seat tube angles), a high bottom bracket, and a long wheelbase.  All of these make it very forgiving in technical terrain (see energy savings, fun, safety above).

I use mechanical disk brakes.  Hydros are too finicky, and rim brakes do not provide enough power on long descents and in wet conditions.  Disk brakes allow a tweaked wheel to be ridden.

I use fat (2.3") tires because they absorb chatter, float in sand and loose stuff, and provide more grip.  I only pick tires with durable sidewalls so they can be run tubeless without undue sidewall cut paranoia.  I run tubeless because it eliminates almost all flats if properly used, and flats are the definiton of no-fun.

I use Ergon grips with bar ends because a variety of comfy hand positions is essential, and because Ergons prevent long term ulnar nerve damage when riding extremely rough terrain.

I use 680mm wide bars because I like to breath easy and be able to use my upper body.

I use a Fizik Gobi XM saddle because it fits my butt perfectly and is very durable.

I use a 1x5 drive train because granny gear climbing is (for me) less efficient in the long term (if I'm fit), and standing up alleviates a sore butt better than anything else.  I have some gears because spinning out on the boring sections (roads) is no fun.

I try to use patforms because it lets you use comfy shoes, but always go back to clipless because of the gains in power, security in technical terrain, and bunny-hopability.

I ride big wheels because I am neither 5'0" nor stuck in the 90s.

[E nelson]

For the 2010 Tour Divide I chose a Vassago Bandersnatch

www.vassagocycles.com

Steel, 29er, Rigid Fork, 3x9 gearing, mechanical disc brakes.

Durable and capable of being repaired trailside are usually at the top of my list when choosing what I take with me into the unknown.

[frejwilk]

I ride big wheels because I am neither 5'0" nor stuck in the 90s.

The drivetrain on your bike pictured seems to indicate otherwise..

[Slowerthensnot]

The drivetrain on your bike pictured seems to indicate otherwise..

  LOL Fred!!

[Blackhound]

Voodoo Aizan 29er made from Scandium.

Run with Reba forks, Bonty tubeless wheels and tyres and Reveleate bags and a SRAM / Shimano mix.

Frame was cheap, £90 ex dem and parts were a mix of second hand / bargains.

Looking at changing tyres and overhauling running gear before TD11.  Not sure about going to rigid for TD but in UK happy to stick with front suspension.