bikepacking.net online!

[ScottM]

bikepacking.net launched!

Please help us get this site kick started by registering on the forum and posting -- about anything bikepacking related!

We'll be adding and refining content on the main site quite a bit in the coming days. 

A major aim we have with the site is to make it a community effort.  Besides the forum, let us know if you'd like to become a contributor to the Gear Reviews, Bikepacking route pages, and Personal Setups.  We'll make you a contributor account so you can login and create pages indexed from the main site.  Note that anyone can review products and post comments on any of the pages on the site, no login required.

Please bear with us a little bit as we experiment with the look and feel of the site.  The layout might change a bit, but the core functionality is there.

[rocky rode]

Hi Scott!

Congratulations and thanks for the forum!  There has been a void that needs to be filled, this should be a great success. 

Gary Blakley 

[sherpaxc]

Scott,
  Thanks so much for getting this going.  I have been wanting a resource like this for a while.  I can't believe mtbr didn't jump on something like this.
Good stuff.

[FeloniousDunk]

Ah ha!  Here's what we've been waiting for on MTBR, good job!  I wonder (rhetorically, because it doesn't really matter) which came first, the beginning of the development of this site or the requests piling up and being ignored on mtbr?

Scott, I've been inspired by you and Mike C's stories along with following the TD, GDR, and CTR and the Alaskan guys!  I'm gearing up for some bikepacking and am looking forward to learning and sharing here.

And I'm really looking forward to seeing some East Coast routes being put up on your route matrix...maybe a southern Appalachians loop someday. 
 
~Shaun Moore

[Pivvay]

Looks cool Scott. Hope some people come on over.

[ScottM]

Ah ha!  Here's what we've been waiting for on MTBR, good job!  I wonder (rhetorically, because it doesn't really matter) which came first, the beginning of the development of this site or the requests piling up and being ignored on mtbr?

My idea for the site actually came while doing research for my latest trip on the CDT.

I was digging through Backpacker mag's site, trying to find GPS data for the trail.  (side note: they GPS'd the trail a year ago in a much publicized project, but have yet to publish anything but the first few miles).  I asked myself, why isn't there a bikepacking site?

The MTBR thread definitely put the spurs to me, though.  I still think there's a place for a bikepacking forum on MTBR, but the admins there don't seem to be too interested, and I can imagine a few possible reasons.

I didn't start actually developing the site until after the CDT trip, too many other things going on, and then I was gone for ~2 weeks for that.

And I'm really looking forward to seeing some East Coast routes being put up on your route matrix...maybe a southern Appalachians loop someday. 

Absolutely!  I really want to encourage others to put together and publish new routes.  Right now the routes are heavily western US biased, but I hope that changes over time.

[Pivvay]

Absolutely!  I really want to encourage others to put together and publish new routes.  Right now the routes are heavily western US biased, but I hope that changes over time.

I'm working on a route but frankly I don't want to put anything out there until it's ready. Half assed is no good.

[FeloniousDunk]

I'm working on a route but frankly I don't want to put anything out there until it's ready. Half assed is no good.

Hey Pivvay, do you want some help with an East Coast route?  I'm interested in the south east and particularly involving western North Carolina, but could branch out a little ways.

[Pivvay]

Sadly (well sort of, it's beautiful out here) it will be another Western route. I actually also kicked around a Missouri route in my head but have only ridden one short section of it and since I live in Colorado these days that will be hard to finish scouting. I will try though.

An East coast route or anything east of the Mississippi would be fun! I'd definitely come out for something like that.

[FeloniousDunk]

We, that is south easteners, have a lot of trail miles but there doesn't seem to be any long, bike legal routes laid out.  It's been shown that we can fairly easily ride a 200+ mile route but you would never be more than about 15 miles, by the way the crow flies, from a central point.  That doesn't interest me too much.  Though, I'm half thinking that with some more work I may be able to link up a bunch of stuff in a semi interesting way utilizing the Blue Ridge Parkway to get from single track to single track.  Starting this Fall I'll begin to find out.

[dkirk]

Hey Scott,
What a great idea and site. That ride report of yours and MC on the CDTwere inspiring. I look foward to watching this site.

Keep up the good work!
Dave

[ScottM]

I'm working on a route but frankly I don't want to put anything out there until it's ready. Half assed is no good.

Ooh!  A teaser on a new route is even better than a new route.  Any clues?  . . .

[Pivvay]

Not quite yet Scott. After having ridden a lot of of the "classic" routes (or at least big parts of them), I want to make it something really fun and worthy of other people putting the time into doing.

The Missouri route is not much past an idea and if there is someone that lives out that way that wants to run with it I'll be happy to share what (little) I know. My family still lives out that way but it's hard to get away for anything more than day trips when I visit.

[700see.]

Thanks for all the effort Scott - I've linked the site + hopefully can contribute some Canadian routes in the future, though I tend to lean more in the GDR/fireroad/'cross bike type riding direction than stuff like the AZT.

Best,
mc lowercase

[bikewright]

Scott thanks for putting up the site. I have only done some of the Skyline Drive and most of the C&O Canal. Looking forward to doing the Great Allegney Passage to the C&O. Also looking forward to seeing some bike set-ups.

[ScottM]

Thanks for all the effort Scott - I've linked the site + hopefully can contribute some Canadian routes in the future, though I tend to lean more in the GDR/fireroad/'cross bike type riding direction than stuff like the AZT.

Best,
mc lowercase

Welcome, Matt, and thanks for the link.  I appreciate the help in spreading the word about the site.

Already bikepacking.net is the number two link when you search for "bikepacking" in google.  Pretty amazing how fast google works. However I think it is more a testament to a lack of bikepacking content/sites than that we really have that much traffic. 

GDR/fireroads stuff is great.  Would love to have some Canadian routes!