First Recumbent Bike Tour - Recumbent Bikepacking

[@robertcromer5411]

Cory - Hi, I am an old timer(74yrs). I have a Tour Easy(1998 SS) and I have 18K+miles on it, perhaps 5K of loaded touring. Here are some things that I have found. I tried a BOB trailer, panniers, and a homemade tailbox. I have a front fairing and when coupled with the tailbox, it is the lowest amount of aero drag. With a 15 mph headwind, I was lucky to maintain 7 mph with panniers or the BOB trailer. With my tailbox, with the same 15 mph headwind, I was able to maintain 15 mph using roughly the same pedal input. The net result is that your loaded 50 mile ride can be 65 miles with the same effort!! I did not carry meals, only snacks. I would stop off at a grocery store and purchase food(supper & breakfast). I used an alcohol stove and I designed an alcohol cooker that worked like a gas grill. It used a 9 inch hd pie pan/stainless 3 division plate with 100 1/4 inch holes/two stainless steel scrubies/and a 9" wire drying rack. You would put 4 oz of alcohol in the pie pan, light it and for 20-25 minutes you would have the equilivant of a mini gas grill. Cook streaks, et al. Another useful item is a car chamios. It will soak up 10x its weight of water. At the end of the day, I would shower first with my bike clothes on and shower again without, rinshing the clothes afterwards. I would roll the chamios and the clothes together and needing them. You could get the cloths better than spin dry with a washer. By hanging them out, they would be dry for the day after. I have also found that using Slime Strips between the tire and tube VASTLY reduces the amount of flats. If you carry your tent poles seperatly from the tent bag, the tent bag becomes flexible, allowing more compact packing. In my tailbox, I had a velcrow area for tent poles and spare spokes. I also had my a water blader(Campmore 1 gallon shower bag) with a tubing conversion for a Camelback mouthpiece. I would fill it ~1/2 full for riding and could also be used as a shower by adding some hot water. Great video and have many happy tours!!! - Bob Cromer

[@corybikes]

That is a lot of valuable information! Definitely gives me things to incorporate on future rides!! Thank you!

[@rev.dr.funnyshoe7497]

Im on a Haluzak currently and i will never be talked out of my BoB trailer! I bought the first one I ever saw over 25 years ago and I still use it. I have another for my wife's stupid dog.

[@chrisby777]

Hi Bob. I am 70 in June. I am unable to ride upright bikes because of many medical issues that I won’t bore you with. I have just purchased a recumbent trike which is my first. I am mightily impressed with your engineering skills. I’m looking for something light to carry basic tools in. Any ideas would be most welcome. Many thanks. Chris.

[@robertcromer5411]

You have to watch the BOB trailer. I was going downhill and hit a culvert/"speed" bump at ~30mph. The rear triangle of a recumbent is flexible as compaired to an upright. The BOB started to sway back and forth, which turned into a whipping motion. I applied the REAR brake and go the speed below ~25mph and all that shuttering slowly stopped. I stopped using the BOB from then on...

[@robertcromer5411]

Chris - It depends on what type of trike you have. I would do one thing for a Delta type or something different for a Reverse Delta. My first tailbox was made from Chloorplast(plastic cardboard), it was big and "clunky". My second tailbox was made from chloroplast strips and covered with heat shrinkable plastic covering, it was more areodynamic. You can email me at [e-mail]

[@johnhamilton2680]

Great stuff. Thanks for sharing.

[@pedalingpete626]

Excellent. Next time it's a stealth camp in those woods. I made the same easy transition from Hike to Bike. The bike is a great extension, and allows you to bring and visit much more comfort.

[@corybikes]

I like the stealth camp idea. And this transition is seamless! Completely agree!

[@TravelingThru222]

Looks like a cool ride, Nice Trail.

[@100musicplaylists3]

I cant help but think that the shape of a recumbent bike can be easily adapted to accommodate a hammock frame add on which would allow people to sleep anywhere they feel like parking.

[@corybikes]

And park anywhere they feel like sleeping. :-) Thanks!

[@eristicfreethinker2098]

It would have been helpful to see how you packed your panniers and to hear if/how the extra weight affected the ride.

[@corybikes]

Hello! Check out my video about that here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/aYGrg4Kmmsumfck Basically, I felt a little more weight behind me. It didn't affect the aerodynamics too much, but I felt the additional weight. As long as I didn't try and push for speed, it was very manageable. It reduced my speed probably about 1 mile per hour.

[@Jesusisthe1way]

Inspiring and fun! Thanks for sharing your experience.

[@SuperTechnicalman]

I have a Bacchetta bike i've been planning on bike packing with in the future. I still don't ride it very well. Thanks for sharing your video.

[@RaneBane]

Stay off the handlebars unless you're making a turn, very light pressure. If you lean and steer with your legs you won't be twitchy or constantly making adjustments. Once I learned this I improved by 10x.

[@BrownPeterAnthony]

Thanks for this post, the country is very like the coastal area in south France called Le Landes, the smell of pine and sea air.

[@corybikes]

That sounds wonderful and would like to go sometime!

[@bici.family]

Cool video! I am especially a big fan of watching a beautiful sunrise over water :) And also the trail looks great! It would be interesting if you could add a map so that we can see more easily where you're traveling. I'm looking forward to more videos like this! Greetings from a recumbent cycle touring family :)

[@corybikes]

Thank you! The sunrise was awesome! I'm not posting my exact route for privacy reasons, but I'm in Florida. We have some long trails such as the Pinellas Trail, Withlacoochee Trail, and the Suncoast Trail. Also, search for the Florida Coast to Coast Trail. It's almost finished, and has only about 30 miles (48km) of gaps. I'm considering using that trail to bike tour across Florida!! Stay tuned!!

[@madaboutvoice]

Thanks for taking us along on your trip. Nice to have the railroad beds converted to a multi-purpose sealed track, but it is sad to know that the rail infrastructure that so many poor immigrant workers and prison inmates broke their backs to construct inch by inch no longer exists. The motor car companies made sure that the railroads were killed off depriving the country of a great way to travel (along with your bike if you wanted). Don't know which part of Florida this is, but planning to visit cousins in Daytona Beach next year (Covid permitting) and hope to do some recumbent cycling there. Cheers from Australia.

[@melody57905]

Where can you get this bike?

[@corybikes]

You can buy these new at a bike shop specializing in recumbent bikes or at bacchettabikes.com. You could also search Facebook Marketplace for "recumbent bike" or "bacchetta". Happy shopping!

[@FollowThomas]

I never seen anybody using this kind of bike for bikepacking. I'm doing lots of bikepacking myself but this looks very comfortable 🙂

[@MrTriked]

Nice video. I have two Bacchetta bikes, love them. Can you at least tell us where the campground was?

[@corybikes]

Yes, this was Silver Lake Campground in Pasco County Florida.

[@rdkuless]

cory.. you forgot to mention where you are starting (which route) and where you are going. :). I like to go on Maps. and follow along.

[@sakthivelramasamy9388]

Greetings brother, I'm happy about this video. May I know the cost of this bike?

[@corybikes]

It's a Bacchetta Giro. They cost about 2000 US dollars.

[@sakthivelramasamy9388]

@@corybikes Thank you so much, brother...

[@non-monogamousmark]

Thanks for the video. I am planning a 5 month bikepacking trip to the Philippines. Leaving the US in October 2022. I will be taking my Cruzbike Q45. I will not be riding during all of the trip as I will also rent Airbnb's to stay at from a week to a month. I'll move to the Philippines in 2024 so mostly I am going to scout out where I want to move my home base to.

[@corybikes]

I'm considering the Q45! How do you like it? Have you tried some single-track riding?

[@non-monogamousmark]

@@corybikes It took me some time getting my balance and not fighting with myself to steer the Q45, but once I managed that... I love my Q45. I am certainly no expert as my experience other than this bike was all on diamond frame bikes. I would never go back to riding a diamond frame after my Q45 though. I have not done any single-track riding.

[@greghanson-w3d]

please consider advising me regarding kickstand, paniers, etc. mine is identical bachetta, but no bags of any kind. would like to setup similar to yours.

[@corybikes]

Hi! I actually have a video that talks about the rack and panniers here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/aYGrg4Kmmsumfck For the kickstand, I actually think it's from the Bacchetta company, but not sure. Hope you have a great adventure soon!

[@PumpkinVillage]

Would you ever put on a handle bar bar or a cockpit bag type? Nice set up. Take care, Al

[@corybikes]

Good thinking, but since my knees are moving near the handle bars (probably within 2 inches), I don't have room for a typical cockpit bag. I do have space for a small bag like a top tube bag (for cell phone sized items).

[@doughowlett1610]

What was your starting/ending points? Was there any thing you would change about your touring setup? Did having all the weight in the back cause any problems? What tires are you using?

[@corybikes]

The setup is great. I wouldn't change a thing. I like the rack and bags. Good price point. Check my other video on the setup. The weight in the back was not a problem. I could tell it was there but was fine. It was about 22 to 25 pounds of weight. I felt it during climbs mostly.

[@Briaaanz]

I've got a similar bent as yours, an old RANS F5 Enduro. I'll be doing some touring this summer, but one thing i am trying to figure out, is a good place to put a map, so I can read it while riding. I've got a phone with extended battery that I attach to my handlebar, but I'm hoping for a paper map option. Any thoughts?

[@mickypamei6629]

On hills/slopes we stand on our cycle pedals shifting our weight left and right to climb, how does one climb on one of these..?

[@corybikes]

Great question. We downshift and essentially push and brace ourselves against the seat-back. It definitely works but as you can imagine, the climbs are typically a little slower than an upright bike.

[@corybikes]

Also see my other video comparing a recumbent vs a road bike. I explain in a little more detail.

[@clickbaitnumberone1403]

good one

[@binarumah]

Hi Cory. Thanks for sharing your touring tips! Can this bike climb steep hill, say 12% ++ grade hill with all the touring load?

[@corybikes]

Yes, it can climb hills around 12%, but 15% or more is probably not possible. This bike has a firm backrest and it provides good leverage to push from. I would downshift a lot for 12% hills. I feel the extra weight going up hills, so its helpful to lighten the load. I'm considering an ultralight tent like zpacks Altaplex, which would save 2 pounds or 900 grams.

[@binarumah]

@@corybikes that's awesome. I've just completed 200km on my DIY MBB recumbent. Now I'm looking for a good factory build recumbent. But the price is always on the high side.

[@paulahavens2764]

@@binarumah look for someone who wants to sell theirs but remember buyer beware.

[@sjam8167]

Is it easy to ride 40 km/h without the bags attached?

[@corybikes]

40 km/h is pretty difficult on this bike, but something like 27 km/h is pretty easy. This bike is cromoly steel and has touring tires. It's not quite the same grade as a road bike. The Bacchetta Corsa and the C/A models are faster and can achieve 40 km/h.

[@michaelcastro5339]

Considering that those freeze-dried packages cost like $10 each, it's better to buy those Campbell soup meals in a can and you just heat it up and it and for $2 each with around 400 calories it's a better deal, you're going to need to carry water to cook freeze-dried food or bring the cans that although heavier are ready to eat, in a pinch you could even eat it cold if you had to or just put the can on the stove and heat it right inside the can and have less clean up, freeze-dried food doesn't get the same consistency if you don't heat it up.

[@insertgoodname4809]

What tires were you running? Looked fast. I have the same bike. Giro 20

[@corybikes]

They are Schwalbe 1.25 inch width tires. Good durability and I pump them to about 80 psi usually.

[@drgalenos2049]

How did you transport the bike? Thanks

[@corybikes]

That is the subject of my next video actually! I use a hitch mounted bike rack that holds each wheel from the bottom. Will find a link as example.

[@corybikes]

www.etrailer.com/Hitch-Bike-Racks/Hollywood-Racks/HR1450Z.html

[@drgalenos2049]

Appreciate it! @@corybikes

[@bleednate]

Wondering if you could share what are of the globe you're in for this trip.

[@bleednate]

Ah, you said soon after I posted. FL. :)

[@corybikes]

@@bleednate Yes, this trip took me through the Brooksville, Florida area. Hope you find a trip like this for yourself!

[@alexjboros9544]

Good video! Thanks for creating it & posting it. I've been thinking of buying a recumbent, whether new or used, and going bike camping like this. I might even use a single wheel trailer, like a B.O.B. trailer, instead of saddlebags on a rear rack, plus a windshield fairing on the handlebars for better aerodynamic efficiency. However, I live in New Hampshire where there are a lot of long, steep hills. Hopefully, I could install a drivetrain with gearing suitable for my local terrain. What does your Bachetta have for gears? Is it a 2x9 or perhaps 2x11? Thanks again, and keep up the good work 👍

[@corybikes]

Hi Alex. Your plans sound like a lot of fun. Recumbents are perfect for what you are thinking. My bike has 3 x 9 gears, which is plenty of range in my opinion.

[@MaNi-cn7to]

Nice! what model is that bike?

[@corybikes]

Thank you! Its a Bacchetta Giro 20.

[@MaNi-cn7to]

@@corybikes Thx!

[@DD-jn1mp]

What is an affordable recumbent bike to get that’s not a trike? I have been looking to get into riding again but I hate uprights bike seats

[@corybikes]

Hi! Sun Seeker makes recumbent bikes that are priced about $1500. I would also look at Craigs list or Facebook marketplace for used bikes. Most recumbent bike owners take great care of their bikes. Just what I've noticed. So you can buy used and still get a great bike.

[@chrisxdursoorg]

Cory - Thanks for the video and tips. The trails look beautiful and I am considering eventually a Trans American ride possibly to and through Florida over as many rails-to-trails as I can find. I ride on a Bacchetta Gyro as well (its an older CrMo frame) but I keep the rack in the center (via TCycle) for I feel it has a better weight distribution. I second @Robert's tip about shower washing your bike clothes, done that many a time. Another tip is to use a groundsheet under your tent. In addition to saving your relatively expensive tents bottom a PolyCryo or Tyvek groundsheet is inexpensive, feather weight, generally useful and super packable. There are plenty of recumbents within thousands of touring journals on the CGOAB forum (my postings: www.crazyguyonabike.com/directory/?o=1mr&user=chrisdursoorg&v=5) Happy touring

[@corybikes]

Trans America rid sounds awesome! In Florida, we currently have some nice rail trail options: Withlacoochee State Trail, Van Fleet Trail, Suncoast Trail, Pinellas Trail, and a route that connects several together (The Florida Coast 2 Coast connector trail). I do use a tyvek sheet as a footprint. I also "cowboy wash" on one if in a remote area. Good general use because I can wrap stuff to protect against rain too. Great tips, thank you!!

[@corybikes]

And oh, have a great time on your trip!

[@The-GreenHornet]

Those freeze-dried meals are very expensive for what you get. $11.00 plus and they leave a lot to be desired as far as taste goes. I've had a few of them. IMHO. I have that little stove burner. It's good for boiling water, but not really good for actual cooking. The flame is too focused in the center of the pot or pan. Thus burning in the center and not fanning to the outer edge of the pot/pan. I ended up getting a better compact burner stove with a broader flame heat disbursement.

[@danmatelsky6064]

I dont wear a helmet

[@robpreslar5289]

Been riding recmbents for about 20 years for fun and to get to work. I'm retired now and often think about bike touring but havent been able to make the jump. Several months ago I put a tongsheng mid drive emotor on the bike and its really been great. Its a very intuative system that uses a torque sensor in the motor which gives assistance based on how hard u r willing to pedal. Using campgrounds with electric hookups like in this video would be perfect for recharging. The emotor would take the sting out of carrying touring bags as well as help with the hills. Thanks for this video I am inspired !

[@darrellroeters4951]

More talk than ride