BIKES FOR BIKEPACKING - how I set up my bike after 75,000 kilometres

[@aurisnow]

Great to hear from someone with real experience and not the typical snob that thinks bikes are so complicated as rockets! "don't care about my leather seat", "don't worry about hydraulic brakes", "tubeless tires are great"... haha. That's the spirit.

[@tristanrid]

Ha thanks, yeah I've never been one to baby my gear. Hope the video was helpful!

[@l2-4upphysicaltrainingover40]

Best and most complete and comprehensive information and well thought out opinions and recommendations EVER! On KZbin !!! So tired of listening to the strange group of riders, so-called adventure riders, who seem to suggest that you need hi tech Lululemon and a $5000 carbon frame bike with Another couple thousand dollars worth of automatic shifters. A reliable and robust built mountain bike, that is not going to break on you, and offers mounts for all the necessary cross country gear and , Made of steel with robust components, perhaps a gate belt drive taking advantage of German engineering. Again, thank you very much. Best reviewing all of youtube!

[@tristanrid]

Thanks so much for the kind words, I appreciate it!

[@johngrattan6343]

I still tour on my 40 year old Claud Butler "Dalesman". Still in love with it, taken it everywhere.

[@tristanrid]

Built to last!

[@OscarMager]

Completely agree you can get by on any bike, and use whatever you got. Mine is a €799 aluminium Giant Talon mountain bike which I already owned and I converted to a touring bike when I went bike touring first. It still hasn't let me down after 10,000+ kilometer and indeed rides great on virtually any surface. Love my bike. Great video, thanks for sharing Tristan!

[@tristanrid]

Thanks for watching! Another friend of mine has a Talon and loves his, sounds like a great bike!

[@BatkoBrat]

I just got a Canyon Spectral CF 7 and I already did a 350 km tour on it. I don't care that it is an enduro bike, I love doing tours on it. My country is full of rocky mountainous offroad tho, so the bike has been really useful so far. You can tour on anything, you don't have to have 3 bikes in your garage. I don't have the money to buy another bike :D

[@mishnok11]

​@@BatkoBratя бы хотел взглянуть на твой кеньон после мирового тура длинною в 75 000 км! Есть более приспособленные для туризма велосипеды, и менее приспособленные, и это-очевидно! И если я захочу отправиться в кругосветное путешествие, то я скорее выберу что-нибуть вроде salsa fargo чем каньон спектрал.

[@Mister_G]

I also had a Talon - really nice, affordable hardtail.

[@JRmntain]

Great to hear some real advice from someone with a wealth of experience 👍

[@tristanrid]

Glad it was helpful!

[@lennart822]

Love it. Best video about bikepacking I have seen so far. You did the job first (75.000 km amazing) and then started to talk. That's the way to go. Real wisdom straight forward.

[@tristanrid]

Thanks for the kind words!

[@ares333x2]

I really enjoy your perspective and experience! So many of the mountain bike channels are about Bike Parks and bling. Not actually riding and adventuring... It doesn't matter how old or outdated the machine, just ride it, maintain it, and love it. Let all the dudes with their bling machines pay for their ski lifts. Not that I have anything against downhill. 😂 If I want to go fast I'll get on my motorcycle. Cheers from Utah. 🍻

[@tristanrid]

Cheers, I appreciate it!

[@usnchief1339]

Two videos in and I can honestly say you're a courageous and adventurous person. You're working on the best worldly experience and education any person could ever wish for. Great job and I wish many more years of traveling around the world for you.

[@tristanrid]

Thanks so much!

[@ferdinandgraf9012]

What a great informative video! Only sharing the most usefull and heavyly tested knowledge. Helps me a lot at 16 with great tours and cycling around the world as the biggest dreams. Maybe one day I'll be in your situation. You are a big inspiration Tristan, always keep going.

[@tristanrid]

Thanks for the kind words, glad it was helpful and good luck with everything, I hope you find a way to make your dreams a reality!

[@mikedesrochers]

Just came across your Chanel. Impressed with your take on bikepacking. Keep it up please. I’ll follow

[@tristanrid]

Thanks for watching!

[@Jazzmindful]

Me literally sitting with paper and pen to watch your KZbin video haha. So good! Thank you so much!

[@tristanrid]

Aha thanks, glad it was helpful!

[@ImaKhunt007]

Due to some medical stuff I lost my licence and now ride a pushy. I've become increasingly interested in bike touring and this has been a very informative and concise video. Thank you.

[@abuk92]

Highly appreciated the introduction suggesting to use gear that you already have! ❤❤❤

[@tristanrid]

Thank you! Hope you found the video useful!

[@geoffmurray2]

Great down to earth and detailed video, cheers mate.

[@tristanrid]

Thanks for watching, hope it was helpful!

[@jcassiopeia5790]

Love your vids and your experience is very much worth listening to you 😀💪 greetings from South Bavaria

[@tristanrid]

Thank you!

[@Destide]

I have no plans for tours, but I do a 24-mile round commute through toe-path and single track and all of this was golden upgrade info

[@tristanrid]

That's a solid commute, good on you and glad I could help!

[@jackcarter233]

I agree. I love touring on my mountain bike!

[@tristanrid]

Yeah there are always pros and cons but for me a mountain bike is definitely the way to go!

[@sailingholsltd6062]

Thanks Tristan, you have gone a long way in helping us decide on a pair of Outbacks. We have just placed the order and since we are living in Iceland we can get familiar with them on some great dirt roads. Looking forward to your U.S. trip, its high on our list.

[@tristanrid]

Thanks, and congratulations on your new bikes, you're going to love them! I can't wait to get out to Iceland for some cycling myself, that's been very high on my list for a long time!

[@toutterrain8152]

Great! We wish you lots of fun on your adventures 👍

[@teddylott]

Hey. Just scrolled through and found your comment. I’m seriously considering ordering an outback too. I’m also living in Iceland, couldn’t ask how much it cost to import it here could I? I’m really struggling finding information about it. How have you found your bikes? Bet they are fantastic! Any information on sizing? I can’t find much good information about sizing either. Thanks

[@rickbartley9255]

One of the best realistic advice videos I’ve personally seen. Well done mate.

[@tristanrid]

Thanks, I appreciate it!

[@richardrr4220]

Really useful, informative and well presented, thanks Tristan

[@tristanrid]

Thank you!

[@michellemybelle6125]

What a great bike. Thank you for sharing all these useful informations.

[@tristanrid]

No worries!

[@silvioperugini5890]

Best video about bikepacking !still on touring bike here but put an eye on tout terrain already great bikes

[@tristanrid]

Glad it was helpful!

[@wissbaa]

Always outstanding and direct in a positive way. Best wishes from New Zealand

[@tristanrid]

Thank you!

[@hoozleup]

Mate, I'm not even half way in but this is awesome - thanks very much, well done! 👍

[@tristanrid]

Thanks!

[@davehoover8853]

I subscribed as that was a just a nice, relaxed presentation while still sharing loads of information. Appreciate the details on why you chose one option over another and how it works in the field. Ride the bike you have and start planning your next ride, then your next bike. I am amazed at the distances you have travelled! I live in the Tetons in Wyoming and am thinking about the GDMBR as a ride, not a race. Carbon bike, slack’ish geo and 650b x 55mm tires. If I love riding that kind of distance, then on to a steel or Ti hardtail. Thanks for making such a great video.

[@tristanrid]

Thanks for watching, I'll be riding through Wyoming on the GDMBR this summer, can't wait to see that part of the world!

[@markherriott2436]

Brilliantly informative. I've purchased things as a result of your insights. I love the way you give options, but most of all, my experience has been that you can rely on everything you say. The big life changer has been purchasing that same Brooks saddle and the Decathlon shorts you mentioned in another video. I never imagined I'd be cycling without padded shorts (sometimes), after years of cycling. Thanks!

[@tristanrid]

My pleasure, glad it worked out for you and thanks for watching!

[@alessandrorossi2164]

what Decathlon shorts?

[@michaelbroyer3918]

I learned a lot from this fine video. Your presentation was excellent and I look forward to future bikepacking videos. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and experience.

[@tristanrid]

Thanks for watching!

[@unclecalifornia2576]

Thanks for the in depth info and keeping it real! I love the redshift call out! They do great stuff.

[@tristanrid]

Yeah love my Redshift ShockStop, makes a big difference!

[@forbsio]

Lovely video and you're so easy to listen to. Thanks for sharing your experiences and perspectives!

[@tristanrid]

Thanks, hope it was useful!

[@forbsio]

@tristanrid Absolutely, mate. I am picking up a new bike tomorrow and have been doing all the mental math on what would be best as a relative beginner. You touched on a few things I am thinking about, like tire size, flat pedals (I'm a roadie), and and handlebar selection. Feels like my mind is on the right track with your and other's thoughts helping me along!

[@tristanrid]

Ah I see, new bike day is always exciting so I hope you enjoy it!

[@mikeclare5907]

Thanks for the well presented video. As a very mature active rider i appreciated what you had to say and to complement the video were the comments that just confirmed that there are other sound cyclists out there that do not follow the often very expensive options out there. Take care and best wishes from County Durham UK

[@tristanrid]

Thanks mate, all the best to you as well!

[@timhobin8490]

Great review no BS. You cant buy experience but you very eloquently passed some on many thx.

[@tristanrid]

Thanks for watching!

[@chevs11]

Thanks for sharing! Amazing material for beginners!

[@tristanrid]

My pleasure!

[@davehoover8853]

Just watched this a second time and going to place it in “saved” files as it is that good! Great presentation, great explanation on why you chose one thing over another another. Very useful and nice broad approach without getting too brand specific or gear centric. Enjoy your travels!

[@tristanrid]

Thanks so much!

[@bardsandwarriors2]

Nice setup. I did a lot of utility / carless cycling with similar ideas, under the name bardsandwarriors in the 90s and 00s. I still have not gone touring as I wanted to, and you are inspiring me.

[@tristanrid]

Thanks, I hope you can make it happen!

[@51249ca]

24:00 that bike path looks cool, especially parallel tp a major highway

[@tristanrid]

That one was very cool!

[@mugdhamahanta]

admirer of your work since a long time. this one once again a great video. Love from india

[@tristanrid]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@DogtorIzzy]

Me: Has barely bike packed at all Also me: Watches the whole thing intently Great job as always dude :D! I never knew how many different frames there were :O

[@tristanrid]

Thanks Izzy, we'll make a bikepacker out of you in no time! Get ready for Stonehenge next month!

[@gregcooper9753]

Your comments are logical and based on tremendous hands (and feet) on experience. Very helpful in my decision making for the GDMTBR I will be using my Niner hardtail MTB rather than my Topstone gravel for many of the reasons you outlined

[@tristanrid]

Glad it was helpful, good luck with the GDMBR! I'll be riding some of the route myself this year, can't wait!

[@Jhawk_2k]

I love the redshift product line. My Canyon Grizl (that I plan to do a ~2,000 mile trek next June) has the suspension stem

[@tristanrid]

Yeah those are great, love the RedShift stuff!

[@Mister_G]

A very well presented, objective video. Thank you very much.

[@ChrisRocks-rv2td]

Oh man, this video is like the perfect answer to thousands of questions i had since i "restarted" biking again (after nearly 15 years) with the goal of long distance adventures! And now i know, that i chose subconsciously so many right decisions! Especially what bike i'm going to ride (our bikes have even nearly the same geometry - its like a blessing for me after 1000s of sleepless nights : )) Thank you so much! And your explanations are so absolutely understandable and make so much sense for me! Not like so many other "youtubers" who always show you only the best and most expensive parts you will never really need. All about marketing and making money - every video is so over-clean - simply far away from the "real way". Thanks again for many more very sleepy nights in future (hopefully most of the time in tents : )) A feq questions i have, if it's ok: what's your height and maybe you know your inner leg lenght and your saddle height? So i could understand more of your geometry/setup and so on : )) Cheers, Chris.

[@tristanrid]

Thanks so much for the kind words, Chris, I'm stoked to hear that the video was helpful! I'm around 6 feet tall and have pretty long legs, although I've never measured my inseam. I ride a large frame out my Outback, and it fits perfectly, although I do have to have my saddle all the way back as far as it will go, to accommodate my long legs. Hope that helps, and all the best with your next trip!

[@timskow]

Great laidback vid! Thanks mate!

[@tristanrid]

No worries!

[@sprockets_shafts]

Great video with plenty of honest and fair comments and opinions - I am entering the bikepacking route just now but havent chosen a bike style - with being a mtb for many years...my gut feeling was exactly what you said about a hardtail. you also confirmed many other points i already thought about. thanks again

[@tristanrid]

No worries!

[@edf7711]

Great video, thanks for the effort.

[@chaddy861]

Learning a lot from your videos. Thank you Tristan 👍🏼

[@tristanrid]

Thanks for watching!

[@pyrkol]

Thank you for sharing this wealth of experience, really appreciated.

[@tristanrid]

My pleasure!

[@alanclarke4965]

This all checks out - just spent a couple of days bikepacking on my 3 speed brompton in Austria...

[@tristanrid]

Love a Brompton, great bikes 🤌

[@jpwesley]

You might take a look at the Infinity Seat. It was made for ultra long distance cycling and to provide comfort for long days in the saddle. Plus, they’re great people!

[@tristanrid]

Looks interesting, I don't think I've come across that one before. You've tried it then?

[@mikelafferty5253]

Youve made me think twice about my Plus sized 27.5 MTB not being "gravel" enough for touring around. thx for the info

[@tristanrid]

No worries! If you want to make a 27.5+ faster it could be worth looking into Schwalbe G-One tyres, which come in 2.8" and are VERY fast!

[@kunzworld2309]

My first trip I did on and old mountainbike and that was fine. I had similar experiences like the ones you describe. Over the years I learned what works for me. I can truly recommend the Shimano flat pedals. Great value for the price and rather shin friendly. I have used them for years and never had any problems with it. Tried the Brooks saddle, but for me it did not work. People always told me it has to break in which never happened. Running a cheap mtb saddle now and it's fine

[@tristanrid]

Yeah saddles are so subjective that finding one that works for you can be a bit of a nightmare, if you find something that works then definitely stick with it!

[@nigelmccomb8106]

Very informative video, thank you 🙏

[@tristanrid]

Glad it was helpful!

[@lukasholecek5911]

Thank you for sharing your great experience! Definitely helpful for me! Happy travels!

[@tristanrid]

Glad it was helpful!

[@thickymcghee7681]

Great video man. I am just getting into biking...period but eventually would like to do long distance, and this was a great video. Thank you.

[@tristanrid]

No worries, glad it was helpful!

[@jubalegros1]

Many great tips !

[@tristanrid]

Glad it was helpful!

[@alexanderh2715]

I bought a kona sutra because the geometry fit me well. I have a small frame but it has so many mounting points I can make it work. Very nice video :)

[@tristanrid]

Nice, the Sutra is a great bike!

[@user-fv1jn1gw5w]

Very thoughtful review. Thanks for sharing your valuable insights!

[@tristanrid]

Thanks for watching!

[@livinlarge1247]

In North America a Classic 26er 3x9 MTB with brakes that work that you can fix. The 26inch tires still remain readily available in any town. The Specailized Crossroads Flackjacket tire works well & is easy to change. The 2.0 inch (give or take) mtb tire is nice, because it does not need a lot of pressure & is easy to air up. (Take a couple tubes & tire wrenches though, and make sure all tube valves are threaded & easy to fit an air chuck on. Mine are Specailized or Schwable with Screader valves.) I have some affordable mag wheels after breaking spokes, and they work nice, but I am sure some good 36 spoke bikepacking or tour rims would work.

[@tristanrid]

There's definitely something said for keeping it simple and using reliable parts that have been time tested! In my experience, good quality 26" parts can be increasingly difficult to find in much of the world, but if it's working for you then that's all that matters!

[@alwayslearning7672]

26" are dead and obsolete now for touring.

[@VladyslavOleksenko]

Tristan, I absolutely love your last tech-info-advise videos. The most usefull I saw! Thank you for that, and for amazing articles! Good luck with what you are doing, all the best to your life, and ye... thanks once again 🙏 Forgot to add: the music is fantastic, where do you get it?

[@tristanrid]

Thanks so much for the kind words! For the music I use envato elements, although it's not perfect so I'm always open to suggestions for alternatives!

[@Eddie65001]

Brilliant!! Thank you

[@tristanrid]

You're very welcome!

[@WillMahler]

Great tips. We love using the Pinion gearbox as well!

[@tristanrid]

Nice, gearboxes are definitely the way to go!

[@tscho1715]

Great video! Thank you❤

[@tristanrid]

Thanks for watching!

[@user-SarmatGor]

Дякую за ваше відео та досвід. Дуже корисні поради. Great thanks. 😊

[@tristanrid]

Welcome :)

[@user-SarmatGor]

@@tristanrid 🤗

[@SilverShamrock71]

Great video, I run Spirgrips on my 2023 Sirrus X 4.0 and agree that they are brilliant, no hand fatigue whatsoever even after a very long ride, my one issue with flat bars is the lack of aero when riding into a headwind, although this can be addressed with aero loop bars such as the Jones or similar

[@tristanrid]

There's also the option of clip-on aerobars, although that adds quiet a bit of weight. This year I'm trying the Velo Orange Crazy Bar V2, and so far I'm really liking it, so that could be worth a look!

[@SilverShamrock71]

@@tristanrid thanks, I'll take a look

[@Mike-vd2qt]

Great video, thanks! I've got the same fork on my Chumba Ti frame. I found the Jones-H bar bugged my wrists and forearms. Switching to a steel frame, drop bar, mtb bike that takes racks and panniers for my next Divide tour. Probably be slower downhill on rough terrain, but slightly faster on flats and smoother terrain, might be an even trade-off since I'm old and slow anyway. Happy trails ☮

[@tristanrid]

Always a trade off whichever way you go! Good luck with the Divide, I'll be on part of that route this year myself, can't wait to get out there!

[@Mike-vd2qt]

@@tristanrid Thanks, best of luck to you too. Enjoy the route. I've ridden half of it, but CAN was closed due to Covid in 2021. I'll turn 71 while out there this summer. 🙂

[@farkasdaniel5692]

Thank you for sharing your experience in such a detailed way. I loved every minute of it. I wish every video would be so comprehemsive and told by experience. I am looking into bikepaking although I love fully MTBs (I have one) so I'm kinda worried about the drag for longer trips. Although I probably will never ride more than 1000kms at once. 😅 Thank you for your informative video, keep up the great work! Greetings from Hungary!

[@tristanrid]

Thanks so much for the kind words, glad it was helpful, and good luck!

[@mcakey1648]

Well done, Tristan. Greetings from Quadra Island.

[@tristanrid]

Thank you! Hope all's good on Quadra!

[@30bones]

I have the same inner bar ends on a pair of ritchey kyote bars and have them much further in and love them. They may be a wider bar than what you’re using. Also had them on a pair of Tumbleweed Persuader with good results.

[@tristanrid]

The Kyote bars are great, I use those for over a year, and the Perusader bar looks great too. In the end I found I prefer a bit less sweep, but it's all a matter of figuring out what works best for you!

[@30bones]

@@tristanrid I agree. Debating on going to a complete SQ labs cockpit

[@vntcolder]

Great introduction ! No need for an expensive bike, just go.

[@tristanrid]

Exactly👌

[@recyclespinning9839]

Great review and information. As someone who is a bit of a bike collector, I agree just get out there and get going. Plenty of good used low miles bike also, just service them , brakes, hubs, tires, bearing , etc. Ps . I don't have a bike with a shock in front, lately I've been seeing roads that have cracks going across road. Im thinking your right, possibly a shock with a lock out might be good for touring , both on or off road on trails..

[@tristanrid]

Yeah old bikes can pretty easily be restored and turned into perfectly good touring rigs, you don't need anything fancy to go a long way!

[@benfairall7017]

You have come really far =)

[@tristanrid]

Thanks mate, yeah it's been a long road!

[@tristanrid]

Also we really need to get you some chunkier tyres for your gravel bike 😉

[@earthlingdamien]

Thanks for sharing your experience. Pinion gears sound great. Have you ever given geared hubs a go, Rohloff or other ?

[@tristanrid]

I've briefly tested a Rohloff and found it pretty good, although I do prefer the shifting and range of the Pinion. I'd rather have either than a traditional derailleur drivetrain, though!

[@TJ-hs1qm]

SLX M7100 2x12 drive train, lowest gear inches 16.5, 623% spread on 29 tires. I was lucky to have this on my Stevens Sentiero 2020.

[@tristanrid]

That's a great range and granny gear, not many people run 2x12!

[@ThePapawhisky]

Very informative. Thank you.

[@tristanrid]

No worries!

[@jurigelato4366]

Someone told me to stick with my P1.18 for the finer gear spacing. Unfortunately I don't have a tout terrain frame which I think is the only frame that makes belt tensioning reliable and easy. I will explore other wheel sizes as well as tubeless. Overall I share all of your points.

[@tristanrid]

Hope you found the video helpful! Yeah the 18 gears can be nice to have, I'm really happy with 12 but especially if you're going heavier, the extra 6 gears might well be worth having!

[@timothyvanpelt_cyclist]

Thanks! I don’t see the aerobars anymore - do you still use them?

[@tristanrid]

Not at the moment - I really like aerobars but I find them situational, they're only worth it to me if I'm going to be doing a lot of long days on relatively flat surfaces

[@sailingaeolus]

Thank for sharing! I'm in the USA desert southwest and really liked my Surly Ogre for mounts on the solid folks. I could fit about a gallon of water on the fork with Blackburn cages. But an Ogre is one heavy lead sled. On another ride I tried 3.5 liters on the rack of my Specialized Fatboy pedaling rough dirt trails and it beat up the rack pretty good. The thought of ten pounds of water in a backpack isn't pleasant. So what's the trick way to carry two or three gallons of water in the desert on a multi-day bikepacking ride?

[@tristanrid]

Water is always a tricky one with a bikepacking setup! For my crossing of Utah a few months ago I had to carry 3 gallons of water (11L) a few times - my solution was to carry a 4 litre and a 2 litre water bladder in my frame bag, and then the other 5.5 litres were in bottles on my frame. 2x 1L bottles in feederbags on my bars, a 1.5L bottle under my downtube, and then 2x 1L bottles in cages on my seat stays.

[@sailingaeolus]

@@tristanrid 11 liter of water alone is 25 lbs. Add bike, gear and food probably a 100 lbs. Folks that have never tried this have no idea. Bike packing is one of the hardest activities I've done in my life. Crossing the deserts of Utah by pedal bike is mind blowing. Outstanding job.

[@kimgreen9342]

Great info! Things i had no idea about. I am curious about whether the pinion box makes it easier to break down for flights??

[@tristanrid]

Definitely makes it easier and less worrisome, I never have to worry about a derailleur getting damaged!

[@MrAdam100576]

I just use a boot wax/oil on my Brooks and it's been going strong and comfortably for 10 years!!!

[@tristanrid]

Nice, that's good going!

[@nickbanderson]

Have you considered or used a suspension stem with a rigid fork? Thanks for all of your masterful vids!

[@tristanrid]

Thanks, and yeah I've definitely considered it. Suspension stems work better with drop bars as they have more travel, with flat bars they're pretty minimal, but if/when I do switch to a rigid fork I'll most likely try a suspension stem at the same time, why not!

[@mk30b25]

Something like the vecnum stem?

[@-Steve-01]

Love your detailed setup breakdowns and interesting seeing what changed between. I have a carbon gravel bike and find it great for general local adventuring and will probably do some more overseas trips this year but definitely agree it’s more of a worry even on a plane in a proper box so would be getting nervous further afield and wouldn’t be looking to chuck it on a bus roof anytime soon. Would be interested to know how you find these epic adventures. All sponsorship?

[@tristanrid]

Yeah flying with carbon would definitely make me more nervous, the really nice thing about a steel frame and a gearbox means I never really worry about damage in transit. For most of my time cycling around the world I just worked normal jobs, saved hard, then budgeted even harder when out on tour. Nowadays I support myself with a combination of freelance content writing, online coaching, photography, KZbin, and a bit from sponsorships. Luckily there are a lot of ways to make money remotely these days!

[@uclaalum88]

Tristan, that was borderline brilliant! I've watched it a few times and even taken some notes. :) Hearing what works for you, is very helpful in getting ideas on what may help me to get more comfortable on the bike and/or finding improvements that I hadn't noticed. Q: what shoes have you found to be the best for you and why?

[@tristanrid]

Thanks for the kind words, glad it was helpful! For flat pedal cycling shoes, the best ones I've found have been Specialized Rime Flat MTB shoes - so far I've been really happy with them!

[@matthewkramer8613]

That drive train is pretty cool. Running a Gates belt drive seems like it would fairly maintenance free. It seems like having a front shock is ideal for most offroad adventures. It can always be locked out for road stretches. But yeah if your tour is mostly hard pack and road ridged woudl save some wieght and improve efficiency. Drop bar bikes work well for efficiency over longer distance were the terain is not too rough.

[@tristanrid]

Yeah the belt drive is really nice to have. Front shock is great, the main downside is maintenance, especially on a longer tour - I do also appreciate the simplicity of a rigid fork, it's nice just not to have to worry about it!

[@richardhalton1174]

Great video.

[@hallstewart]

Even in “lockout”, the fork will actuate if you hit a hole which helps reduce fatigue.

[@tristanrid]

Yeah lockout is definitely a must for me when it comes to bikepacking forks, so useful!

[@kennymcdade161]

Very informative video thanks! So the one thing that I noticed when you were talking about the brand of bike and the frame material is that you didn’t mention what size of frame it is. I wondered if you could make a video on what is the best frame size for the height of a person. The benefits of a too small frame vs a too large frame compared to your height. Anyways, great video!

[@tristanrid]

Thanks! Mine is a Large frame, which is a perfect fit for me at around 6 foot. Best bet if you're not sure of your size will be to send the bike manufacturer a message directly, they should be able to help you out. What's your height?

[@kennymcdade161]

My height is 5’11”, but I have a 31 inseam. And by the bike charts I can take a M, ML, or a L. I ended up purchasing a second hand Trek Marlin 8 second gen size L, and the bike seems kinda heavy to maneuver but is workable if I don’t try to do any heavy mountain biking but just stick to the easy gravel roads I guess. Thanks!

[@horaciodedona3912]

A lot of useful info.I had a raleigh sojurn. it got stolen. I loved that bike, but it was a bit heavy. what you think os butterfly handlebars?.

[@tristanrid]

They're too narrow for my tastes but the hand positions are great!

[@MrQuestful]

24:50 have you tried the Brooks Cambium saddle? It’s rubber based, and is my current favorite comfort saddle for big miles. Love the rest of your setup, I’m planning on getting my pinion bike in a few months!

[@tristanrid]

Awesome, you're going to love running a Pinion! And yeah the cambium was actually the first one I tried but unfortunately it definitely wasn't the one for me, after a week on it bikepacking in the Scottish Highlands my backside was NOT having a good time 😅

[@ChuckNoctis]

I had Pinion in mind for some time now. Is there any cheaper aluminium hardtail bike/frame with pinion? What is the pricing on the Pinion C.12 itself if you were to buy it seperate?

[@tristanrid]

This could be worth a look, you can filter by price: pinion.eu/en/bike-selection I'm not sure if you can buy a gearbox by itself as you need a frame that's designed to take one, maybe send Pinion a message directly :)

[@23skido]

Douzer, here on youtube uses a hard tail with pinion gear. A Priority I think.

[@51249ca]

I could see the allure of the Brooks saddle, being that a tractor seat at the bar is more comfortable than a flat seat, lol

[@tristanrid]

Ha yeah I've tried so many saddles but still haven't found anything as comfortable as leather!

[@tablatom]

Tubeless also has lower rolling resistance at low psi's.

[@tristanrid]

Yeah tubeless is definitely the way to go!

[@HuntersCyclingAdventures]

The pinon gearbox is a beast I love mine

[@tristanrid]

Me too!

[@TylerTyler-g6y]

Superb! Thanks very much for all the effort you have put into creating this really well presented video! I do a lot of bikepacking abroad (nothing like as adventurous as you). Following recent events, I scoured reviews of my travel insurance provider and found one horror story after another when people tried to make claims. Have you made, do you intend to make or are you aware of a good source (KZbin or elsewhere) which covers health insurance for bikepacking abroad? In future i am going to ride a lot more conservatively when riding abroad.

[@tristanrid]

Yeah travel insurers are notorious for that, and most of them don't actually cover bike touring so you really do need to go through the fine print. I generally haven't bothered with travel insurance in most of the world, as healthcare is generally cheap, but the big exception for me is the US, where I consider insurance to be basically mandatory due to the crazy healthcare system there. I'm currently insured with Big Cat Travel Insurance, although I'm not sure if that one is UK-specific. Could be worth a look, though!

[@Bikepacking]

Really really good insight from someone that knows their stuff .. very rare to find on KZbin big thanks .. cheers .. ps one question did you have your camera setup to automatic or Manuel . Regulating the lighting iOS

[@tristanrid]

I always shoot manual although for this video I might have been better off with automatic as the lighting was a bit of a nightmare with the constantly changing clouds/sun - not the best place to film but it was the best I could find at the time!

[@Bikepacking]

@@tristanrid just wondering as learning lighting now with nd filters i still got a lot to learn

[@tristanrid]

For videography whilst on the road I prefer a variable nd filter since it makes life a lot easier. Changing filters every time the light changes would otherwise be a bit of a pain when you're shooting from the saddle!

[@Bikepacking]

@@tristanrid good point i got Variable filter 4 to 32 and 64 to 256 .. for the drone but will change the camera ones to the same as that good point as i noticed it was a hassle cheers for the tip ..

[@larspetersen2688]

Very informative, and with 75000 km behind you, i know it's worth listening. No rear rack and backpack any more?

[@tristanrid]

Thank you! I'll probably run a backpack and rear rack again when I get back into long term touring mode this year, I just tend to use a seat pack for shorter trips where I don't need the extra capacity :)

[@silvioperugini5890]

HI does the redshift Seatpost work well with the saddlebag? thanks

[@tristanrid]

Yeah it works great, no issues that I've seen :)

[@felipeprenholato2301]

Nice tips, that's a wonderful introduction for people starting in bikepacking / touring world. Have you test Vittoria Barzo in front wheel, how you compare it to Mezcal?

[@tristanrid]

I haven't tried a Barzo yet as I've always found dual Mezcals to be sufficient grip for bikepacking where I'm not usually taking aggressive turns, but I've heard good things about the Barzo/Mezcal combo so maybe I'll give it a try soon!

[@jeromep4148]

Wow, super informative!! Currently planning 1300 mile tour - near all pavement with a small amount of gravel. I was thinking of using 1.6 inch tires on my carbon fiber Hardtail MTB (120 mm travel fork). It’s a very lightweight xc frame and my plan was to use front fork, handlebar, triangle and an under seat bag ( not rear rack). I am hoping to go minimalistic on cooking stuff, but have overnight sleeping gear. Timeframe is Sept and traveling from Yellowstone to Minneapolis. Questions: suitability of tire and xc frame??

[@GordoGambler]

Crazy.

[@tristanrid]

I'd say it'll be fine, if you're riding almost all on pavement then the suspension fork won't really be doing anything for you so a rigid fork would be better, but if that's what you have then it'll do the job. If the fork has lockout then great, if not I'd probably pump up the pressure (assuming it's air suspension) so that you don't lose as much efficiency from it. But yeah in general it'll do the job, it's not the IDEAL bike for that trip but it'll get you there!

[@gregorylloyd7450]

Been looking forward to this video. Thanks for posting. Any thoughts on dynamo hubs?

[@tristanrid]

Thanks for watching! I prefer to stay away from dynamos as they add complexity and I'd worry about river crossings, as well as the fact that you can't turn them off if you don't need the extra power. For those reasons I find power banks make more sense, not to mention being much cheaper and not adding resistance. If I really need a LOT of extra power, I go for solar.

[@KoenStrobbe-fv5us]

How do you handle the loss of tire pressure if you run tubeless tires ?

[@tristanrid]

Just pump them back up again!

[@KoenStrobbe-fv5us]

@@tristanrid lol i knew that much. was wondering if it gets annoying if you are in more remote places with a small pump and have to pump them up daily or even during a ride. I find that tubeless tires have a sweet spot pressure for a certain system weight.

[@scottrok13]

Nice! Thank you🎉❤

[@tristanrid]

You're welcome 😊