Bikepacking vs Bike Touring - What’s The Difference & How To Get Started?

[@BicycleTouringExplorer]

I sold my Surly LHT 26in 2008 with flat handlebars and I now have the Soma Saga disc 26in and I am going back to MTB handlebars

[@enigmathegrayman2953]

A black man!!!! YES!!! I’m trying to ride the entire country on a bike hopefully I’ll purchase a Trek 920.

[@TeKeyaKrystal]

honestly the first thing that came to my mind , "ou .. those legs look kinda tan.. I wonder if it's a Black man"

[@enigmathegrayman2953]

Won Mind Release what mindset? It’s good to find other blacks who bike tour, you don’t see that very much.

[@advancelast1740]

Marcus M. - good for you!!! Power be with you!

[@motoshedman]

Trek 920 is a nice bike. Good choise and taste.

[@dwaynepedals]

Thanks for tuning in. Trek 920 is a solid bike. You should be able to take that bike very far and some. Enjoy your trip. If you need any help with gear and packing checking out my resources at www.manualpedal.com

[@GarthElson]

I love the variety of types of footage you compiled from your trips. Getting those shots in the middle of an adventure takes its own kind of patience and discipline. Awesome video!

[@gcprost]

I started bike packing in 1982. Of course, in those days it had no such name. It was an interesting time, there were generally no regulations concerning bike packing. I was able to go into areas that are now closed to bicycles. Sometimes I ended up on trails that were highly unsuited for bicycles resulting in nasty epics. The gear was awful. The bike was a steel mountain bike. The racks and panniers were not up to the task and my tent and sleeping bag were both heavy and bulky. After a couple of years of this, I abandoned the trails and switched to conventional bicycle touring. A year later I abandoned the mountain bike and got a proper touring bike. Today I'm 65 years old. I have an e mountain bike which I use for trail riding and a Honda Africa Twin for travelling. Today I don't normally camp but I travel with a matress, a sleeping bag a bivy sack and a tarp just in case. I enjoy the adventures of young people like you vicariously, thanks to KZbin. Keep up the good work. I really enjoyed this video.

[@samuelkmaina]

Awesome, a brother doing this thing called freedom on 2 wheels. Subscribed and visited your website. Looking forward to watching your content.

[@tyronem.3413]

Finally... just got into cycling. Been waiting to find channel like this!

[@Zeethos]

Check out Cyclingabout as well. Him and his website are amazing

[@KojiStowe]

Glad the algorithm put me on to your video. So, nice to see the representation. Much support.

[@jimmccorison]

Your comment about traveling and meeting people of other countries and cultures is spot on. In our travels we've tried stay in small towns and villages, meet the local people in their environments and ways, and avoid the "tourist" destinations. It makes all the difference in how you view others in the world. I've often wondered what this world would be like if everybody was required to spend a year living in country quite different than their own during their teenage years.

[@BikeAndFish1]

Good tips man... My last bike tour in Africa, Somaliland was cut short, but that just got me to plane the biggest Bike touring yet.........

[@SuburbanPreparedness]

I just bought a 21 speed Schwinn 700c Copeland from Walmart. It's actually a great bike (for me, because I'm a beginner on a budget.) It's a hybrid bike with 40c kinda all-terrain tires (ultra-sport) on it. And I liked it so much I've been spending a lot of time researching spare tires, tubes, chains, tools, etc.., and in that process I found this video on Reddit while researching tire width because I was thinking of maybe going narrower, but after seeing this vid I'm quite happy with my 40c tires. It's a robust bike as far as I can tell. It's got front shocks, rear v-brake + front disc brakes, a chromoly steel frame, and a Shimano derailer. Compared to other Walmart bikes I've had I was concerned about the chain slipping while stand pedaling, but it hasn't even thought about doing that. I can't believe how totally solid this bike is, and bikes can be! I never knew! Due to my previous experience I was always afraid of multi-speed bikes due to past chain slippage on on another Walmart bike I had. I did more research this time before making this purchase, mostly in-store with a phone looking at reviews. I didn't get serious about it until yesterday, literally, and here I am. I'm ashamed to say I used to honk at bicycle riders, mostly because I was concerned for there safety, but other times because I was a big jerk who thought the road was only for cars. Now I'm hangin my head in shame, but not for long because I need to see where I'm going, lol, that's a bicycling joke in case I'm not as funny as I think I am. I was thinking about buying another one just to have it, but I think it might be wiser to take that $160 and spend it on extra tires, tubes, chains, brakes, bags, locks, etc.. What spurred all this was the other day I went a bit further than I normally do around my house and I was amazed at how easy (relatively [great workout, lol]) it was to get up and down the roads (it's a lot of stand-up pedaling, that's normal right?), and then I saw this video and MAN this looks fun. Once the pandemic is over I'm going to have to see about doing some more of this. I love the idea of bike-camping, but I'm afraid I might be too high-maintenance for it. But I love the ability to get around my local area on bike. It's a huge advantage. Anyway thanks for the video, and good riding. P.s. Do you think my hybrid would be good for what you do? P.p.s.lol Really great production quality by the way, nice job, so much fun to watch. Blake

[@dwaynepedals]

Hey, thanks for the kind words. To be honest, don't let the bikes with big fat tires and tech groupsets with big cassettes fool you. You can ride any bicycle. The Schwinn hybrid that you mention will indeed be capable of taking on multiple terrains. However, it may need a few adjustments like tires, and maybe an extra set of brake pads. You indeed can tour and do bikepacking on any bicycle.

[@kmtb2011]

i started bike backing here in england southern part around the coast line, i instantly fell in love with bike packing, this year just few days ago i didnt my 2nd one around a massive forest covering 70miles, love it! am defo gonna continue with this adventures

[@jfmmccoll9189]

Thanks for the info, after COVID training to ride around Lake Ontario.

[@brindlebot]

Great description. You are good on the philosophy of it - take it easy and experience it. One thing I would add is I've done both and panniers do work off road - just get the much lighter and smaller ones - unless you are doing hard single track no problem.

[@dwaynepedals]

Good point! Thanks for sharing.

[@BikeTall]

Cool comparison. I currently have sort of a hybrid setup. Panniers on the rear, bike packing bags up front. I guess it’s all good. Whatever is best for you. The important thing is to just get out there and ride, and see what works for you.

[@dirtsurf1]

Me too. There really isn't a difference between bikepacking and bike touring for me.

[@markgunnison]

I have a buddy that is trying to talk me into going bicycle packing with him. Back in the 90s my parents cycled across the US multiple times unassisted. They have also cycled in Europe and New Zealand. They really enjoyed it. My dad is now 80 and still cycles around 300 miles a week. Mom always said bike touring kept her young. I enjoy the videos by the way.

[@dwaynepedals]

Thanks for the kind words. New Zealand is on my to ride list.

[@jacovdmnz]

@@dwaynepedals When you make it out here to NZ, let me know. I'd be happy to show you around Christchurch.

[@dwaynepedals]

Jaco van der Merwe Thanks. Been looking into South Island for a long time now. I’ll keep that in mind. Cheers!

[@wagz54]

This is a great video! I got a rodeo labs flannimal. Saving up for the gear and bags, but in the mean time I’m getting my legs ready!

[@dfawkes55]

Enjoyed the video as you clearly stated the difference between the 2 types of touring. I do road touring on a 20yr old Waterford Adventure Cycle. As you have stated bicycle touring is a great way to meet and enjoy people and the land they live on.

[@urbandesert381]

This well be helpful for those getting into adventure cycling ...Well done.

[@prime8nate]

Really nice collection of footage from different types of rides all over the world here.

[@avici0182]

This lifestyle is calling me. Thank you so much for the well delivered information. Subbed!

[@dwaynepedals]

Right on! Thanks for the kind words and for tuning in.

[@myfrequencies1912]

The fella in the orange shirt towards the end proved that a modern, purpose-built bike with all the gear is nice, but not necessary. Great video!

[@kdesign73]

Great content bro!!! Great video coverage full of tips and suggestions!!! Thank you for sharing it with the mere folks!!!

[@bobbydixon4484]

thanks brother its good to see someone other than myself looking like us that get out in nature and ride the steel steed! Great video! makes me wanna go 27.5 3.0 on my fargo.

[@Mofra11]

This is an inspiring video. I'm planning multi-day trips in my home state but hope to travel further in future years.

[@ArtanisKizrath]

Awesome content! It took me many trips before I finally figured out the things to bring during bikepacking. When I first started doing it, I brought - in your own words, "the entire kitchen sink". It was as if I was car camping. It was tiring and inefficient. I was also doing backpacking, so eventually, it made sense for me to bring the things that I normally bring for backpacking only with the addition of simple bike emergency kit and some water bottles. I am also a fan of the bike bags rather than pannier bags. The handling of the bike isn't drastically affected and you can easily go on single tracks with a bike bag. With panniers, it's gonna be a problem.

[@kssrider6766]

Great info!!! Haven’t done bike packing before but very likely to give it a go in the very near future.

[@jefft7170]

Awesome video. Did I see a GR in your bag

[@dwaynepedals]

Jeff T Thanks! Yeah that was a GR. Love that camera

[@miamatti]

Really great videos! You have great content, keep it up!!!

[@davidplaskett555]

Tis is oneof the best videos I have seen. Very well executed and informative.

[@dwaynepedals]

Thanks for that, and for tuning in.

[@billbrasky6748]

Great video and great advice. Your experience shows. Keep it up please 👍

[@gregkostrzewsky8621]

Great video! Your topic was timely for me since I am interested in starting doing extended rides and learning more about bike packing.

[@thomasjohnson1114]

LHT is a Great Start...I have a 3yr old trucker that still ride like a dream..

[@UnchangeableBird]

Awesome, well done. Thanks

[@JohnWoodward-me]

Love that Surly LHT! Great video thanks for sharing!

[@TravelingThru222]

Cool video, cool to see a compilation of trips.

[@jessepeters600]

This is want I want to do... thanks for the video

[@WatchJapan]

Great video. 👍🏼 Inspiring and informative. Thank you.

[@nathanburt7999]

Great video man !!

[@jonfisher9214]

I haven't ridden in years, but this is a really inspiring video and I'm looking into buying a new bike now. Thank you!

[@soloist777]

Good video and informative for newbies sticking their toe into the bikepacking-cycle touring world and wondering which way to go(pun intended). I initially bought a Topeak trailer for my road bike but once I saw bike packers on Y.T with custom/purpose fit bags doing multi-day rides on remote trails I was hooked! (So far I've not used my trailer except for doing the grocery shopping). My wife and I have set up our 29ers with bikepacking bags and after a couple of small multi-day rides here locally in Australia, we did a 15day adventure from Christchurch(NZ) to Mt Cook National Park then down to Oamaru on the Alps@Ocean Trail in March(thoroughly recommend it and now want to return asap and do the Tour Aotearoa!!) There are definitely pros and cons with both ie panniers v bikepacking. As you rightly point out, the challenge with bikepacking is being pretty ruthless with gear. We used Camelback backpacks to accommodate wet and cold weather gear in NZ but ideally prefer not to carry anything on my body(this seems to be consistent with the bikepacking purists too). After our NZ trip, I'm completely hooked on bikepacking and not sure I could go to panniers now, even for long overseas tours. There is something very appealing travelling as light as possible but still remaining self supporting, having the ability to go off well used roads etc and onto the trails. PS: We came across a couple of Kiwis bikepacking on gravel bikes which also looks cool too, being able to ride faster over trails while still travelling light.

[@dwaynepedals]

Thanks for your feedback mate. Really appreciate it. As you mentioned, it was hard for me to go back to panniers as well. Bikepacking bags give you a more agile road and trail experience. As for bikes I’m building a gravel bike which will some soon. I’ll be doing a lot more solo gravel rides and will report back here with my experiences as well on the site manualpedal.com. New Zealand is bikepacking Haven. Lots of amazing places to ride there especially on the South Island. I’d love to make a trip out there one day. Cheers!

[@gregpphoto]

Awesome video, I really like your philosophy in the beginning, I've been finding it out on my own, cool to hear someone else feel the same way.

[@cjohnson3836]

You seen the new disc trucker? My Ogre has my heart, but that new trucker looks like a slick ride.

[@WildOutdoorLiving]

Great video! All the footage really helps to enforce what you’re saying.

[@MeNtAlmil]

Great video, love that it's all based on your past trips. Ride on!

[@dwaynepedals]

Blake Miller Thanks for the kind words & for tuning in.

[@mazditzo]

amazing we almost have the same fleet, mine is Long Haul and ECR

[@sleepmark]

Great video mate, thanks for the information.

[@aiyos7034]

Great info vid. Power!

[@James-gz6iq]

What's the experience with pack bikes with front suspension forks? Does suspension hinder loading bags at the front?

[@dwaynepedals]

Not at all. My friend had a suspension fork on his bike and he had no problems loading bags in the font at all.

[@pgreenx]

That Ricoh GR I is my favorite backpacking camera; what great pictures it takes!

[@GeneVilleneuve]

Thanks for this video! Very informative.

[@dirtsurf1]

The distinction between bikepacking, touring grave bike camping etc, is very blurry. Most of my trips incorporate various elements and kind of all seem the same. The only difference maybe between the two for me is tire size. If I am doing more dirt than pavement I might go wider, more pavement=skinnier. Thats about it.

[@StaggerLee68]

"Bikepacking" is just a new term for Bike Touring primarily on dirt which has been going on for many many years. There was no distinction before, some just toured on pavement and others toured with mountain bikes on the dirt in the back country, camping the whole way and only getting on pavement to connect the dirt routes across countries or continents. We used to carry ridiculous amounts of gear crammed into big panniers though and these new set ups are sweet for light and fast dirty riding in not too remote areas. Still can't get on with the name "Bikepacker". ha ha

[@i-aloofrawley2562]

Awesome video, thank you so much !

[@myindigoblues5796]

Great setup on the Surly

[@valeriestewart28]

Love to see some more diversity in the biking world! We, POC, support black outdoors people so damn much. What do you do for weight distribution with your gear? I don’t have panniers, and I’m trying to figure out the best bike packs to put on my Salsa.

[@lateo74]

A very thoughtful video

[@karenringer5995]

Looks amazing .

[@Bubblygoat]

I'd be nervous about mounting and dismounting with a huge bag protruding from the back!

[@dwaynepedals]

Claire Sands Learning curve, but nothing to it over time.

[@petetube99]

The difference isn't really to do with road/off road. It's about travelling light, wild camping and exploring rather than carrying a lot of stuff in panniers and staying in hotels on an itinerary. You can do it on a mtb, gravel, cx or road bike. It's a state of mind not a type of terrain.

[@leadpaint1969]

Excellent video. Thanks for posting.

[@emcincosflyingadventures5031]

I'm getting ready to buy some bags and equipment so this is good to see. Also good to see footage of the kokopelli trail !!

[@perkelele]

Thanks for the video !

[@RollModel724]

What do you think of hybrids for touring or camping? As long as you are keeping yo blue trails or easier?

[@dwaynepedals]

Stickler Hybrids are indeed capable bikes

[@jordanmurray2021]

Thanks for your video - I found it super helpful! I would also love your advice on something: I am currently looking at the 2019 Marin Pine Mountain (someone is selling one in my local classifieds for a good deal) but I am not sure about the plus sized tires. My plan is to use it for a cross Canada trip which will likely be mostly road riding so do you think I should look for something lighter with less aggressive tires? I am new to this so any advice is appreciated!

[@dwaynepedals]

Thanks for the kind words. The Pine Mountain may be a little overkill for a road touring trip. You're not going to be able to maintain speed with fat tires on that bike as you would with something that's a 700c wheel with 34c, 40c, 42c tires on it. If the majority of that trip was offroad then that bike would do just fine. Although, you can put smaller wheels on that bike if you'd want to invest in it. Cross Canda trip sounds like it's going to be a hell of a trip. Enjoy it.

[@mikester99]

Hey man, nice content. I'm just getting into bikepacking, and have been considering travelling to all the different islands on my country, Denmark. We have a very flat country with many bike trails, so I was thinking about a gravel bike with drop bares. I've also thought about a lightweight bike trailer. Any thoughts?

[@anywhereroam9698]

Great video. Thanks for creating it and sharing your recommendations to newbs

[@dwaynepedals]

For sure! Thanks for stopping by.

[@Nippernator]

Really cool 😎👍 the adventures you've gone on look awesome

[@bennyraskin]

Great video. Question: what are some limitations of the Surly Ogre for bikepacking? I have the Disc Trucker and I'm thinking of getting one. Thanks!

[@dwaynepedals]

Can’t really find any besides it being a bit heavy to haul around. But if your a steel frame tourer then it’s not a problem.

[@Jessatron888]

Thank you for sharing. I am actually wanting to plan a bikepacking trip from California to New Mexico. My parents live in N.M. I would like to knock on their door and suprise them someday. :)

[@blackanchorstudios6031]

Did you ever go? I love here in Albuquerque

[@Jessatron888]

Black Anchor Studios , Morning, my parents live in Albuquerque N.M. I miss them already. You were mentioning that you live there in N.M. It would be awesome to hook up someday. Keep on riding and be safe out there. If you come to California you can crash on my couch I will make us a meal. ✌️

[@blackanchorstudios6031]

Jesse Molina Sounds good! Before I do any cross state biking I’m planing on going from the volcanos in the west to the sandias in the East. I’ll call it “tour de Albuquerque” lol

[@blackanchorstudios6031]

Jesse Molina have you done any back packing trips?

[@Jessatron888]

Black Anchor Studios Hi, no I have not. I really would like to. Maybe when Covid-19 is over along with all of the wildfires that are currently going on in California. ✌️

[@gazesalso645]

Thanks for you video. I have a mountain bike and was keen on doing some adventuring. One thing that surprised me though was how expensive everything was. Or at least the different bag/pannier setups. Is there anyway around this? Also, is it not recommended or is it even possible to tour on a bike with rear suspension?

[@THE_SNAPP]

Why the lack of suspension in the forks for the bike packing rig? Is it to cut down on weight, or to Not waste energy? I think of using my current mountain bike for this kind of adventure riding, but do have front suspension.

[@BryenGraver]

Stellar video! I'll be checking out your blog for sure. I've been wanting to make my carbon road bike more versatile, able to do small 1, maybe 2 night trips around my region (Seattle). I recently purchased a rear rack system from Tailfin as a sort of stepping stone with the ability for panniers. What are some things to take into account regarding carbon bikes and packing up for a trip? Anything to be aware of outside of the basics (packing light, bring necessities, etc.)? Or is it all fairly straightforward - plan a trip, pack light, get only the bags ya need?

[@dwaynepedals]

Thanks for the kind words, my friend. Yes, it's fairly straight forward in terms of choosing your route and such. The gear on my road bike setups are similar to other setups of mine but are usually lighter because I don't go full extended with a road bike anymore thank 2 days. I generally like to keep the less is more perspective with carbon road setups. Also keep in mind that mounting a rack to a carbon frame can be dangerous. I suggest going with bikepacking bags that strap on as they are less harmful to the frame. Which this video here for more details... kzbin.info/www/bejne/aoe5mqapn5yHZ8U

[@BryenGraver]

@@dwaynepedals awesome! Thanks a ton. That makes total sense. I'll give that video a watch! I recently discovered Tailfin and got one of their racks for the same reason you mentioned in that all the other existing ones are unsafe. What they make is a carbon-safe approach that works surprisingly well. If you have time, maybe check them out and even make a video with your feedback?

[@redsquarejay]

Thinking of getting this bike. I'm coming from only riding 29" XC bikes on mostly pavement over the years. I'm hoping this will be a comfortable long distance bike for me

[@dwaynepedals]

Nice! Yeah you'll love the bike.

[@redsquarejay]

@@dwaynepedals test rode the bike today. It feels amazing to ride.

[@dwaynepedals]

@@redsquarejay Enjoy the bike adventures on it. Congrats!

[@TruthWarrior144]

Bikes are the ultimate freedom.

[@VentureMTB]

Wow you've been all over the place! Great video!

[@jc438]

Man you have some passion, as you have shown gear is not important, it can be some old steel frame with vintage groupset or new carbon or alloy with xtr, what matters is the road and experience. I ve decided to give up on any counters stats etc. on my journey as i figured out that there is no point in counting the road..

[@GuilhermeNeri100]

Hi man. Great work!! I love this.

[@gabrielautran1226]

Great video

[@jaaasper11]

Im trying to build a bikepacking/touring bike from my caad 8 and 105r7000 groupset do you think this will be okay? And what size of tires do you use for your rode bike setup?

[@Itsjrob_]

Great content brother

[@TeKeyaKrystal]

"generally riding thru a forest" .. whew ! I was able to eliminate what's not for me quickly . that's all my little arachnophobia having , no-bug-liking self needed to hear

[@allieandrews1179]

I want to do all the things: bikepacking and touring! I just don't know how to make that work in my life with my job... Any tips?

[@perkelele]

How do you travel with your bicycle in an airplaine without breaking it? what guarantees do we have?

[@dctruckguy]

Great video, I subscribed

[@yesterdaysfire]

Sick rig man! Love both setups! Hilleberg tent there!

[@wafel0056]

Bikepacking is not mean to ride only in the Woods and offroad. Its also good when you want to be lightweight

[@swanauto47]

This was really good, thank you for this🙏🏼

[@nevertoopoortotour.3033]

Great video thanks for info.

[@andrewrivera4029]

Great info!

[@mo162]

Could you bikepack on a mountainbike, steel hardtail with 150mm suspension forks

[@Minsang1st]

Do you prefer flat bars over drops for touring n bikepacking?

[@mcdermottcostumes]

Amazing! I didn't know that there was a difference between the two!

[@huemungus5934]

Great video bro!

[@dwaynepedals]

Thank you

[@morganqaz]

Great video. Thanks

[@kevinkarachoo]

Thank you for the info and inspiration! :)

[@Samthesender]

Good vid for sourcing, have u risen the great divide? Some friends and I are making plans for next year.

[@dwaynepedals]

No, but I have thought about it. It's a popular route that a lot of people have done. I have thought about doing some Arizona/ SoCal riding next year. Still planning other international trips. Life is long. Cheers!

[@MoyMacGill]

Very concise with the information which made this video for me that much more enjoyable thank you for sharing subscribe

[@dwaynepedals]

Thanks for the kind words and for tunning in.

[@Brandon-xp1ob]

I have a question: How did your keep your devices charged while cycling? Thanks. Cheers!

[@dwaynepedals]

I’ve used a combo of solar panels and rechargeable batteries. Depends if it’s a short or long trip.

[@mosheanidjar4642]

nice video which is the best model for touring bike as well as for off road LHT OGRE OR DISC TRUCKER

[@garymitchell5899]

They're all more or less the same. The most important thing is how the geometry of the bike suits you, so I would try and have a trial ride.

[@afroken0]

Please show a LHT with 29x2.6 I would run something like that in a minute if possible.