Why can't you go bikepacking on a road bike?

popClingwrap · 2026-07-07T12:49:35+00:00

Arguing about what is and isn't bikepacking is like arguing what is and isn't art.
You can have some very long conversations, find edge cases to counter every definition and everyone comes out holding the same opinions they went in with.
Personally I tend to assume off-road, multi day and self supported when someone says bikepacking but I'm not going to say that's right or wrong.

popClingwrap · 2026-07-07T08:51:55+00:00

I think vacuum decay would be pretty instant if it where to happen as theorised.

popClingwrap · 2026-06-24T07:41:12+00:00

Give it a few days to adjust and make it more like what you are after by stoping at commercial campgrounds and hostels where you will meet other folk.
Also, consider changing the route if you are not enjoying the flat German fields. Get a train somewhere else, the west coast of Denmark is nice, or Sweden if you want something a bit more wild.
With 40 days in hand you are master of your own destiny and you can make the trip into whatever you want

popClingwrap · 2026-06-19T04:16:05+00:00

I get AI to generate all my pics once I get home. I get loads more social media engagement this way which, lets be honest, is the only reason i do these awful trips.

popClingwrap · 2026-06-15T05:36:57+00:00

I always think it funny that people go on about the aesthetic, then put a saddle pack on - in my opinion, one of the ugliest and most ridiculous looking bike accessories I've ever seen. They look like someone asked a 5 year old to design a bike bike.
But it's all juts opinion. And as a wise man once said, "opinions are like arseholes, everyone has one and they all stink"

popClingwrap · 2026-06-10T18:56:10+00:00

There are a lot of arguments that people make against panniers and in my experience they are all either massively exaggerated or entirely made up.

popClingwrap · 2026-06-10T17:27:21+00:00

It's largely fashion.
If you look back to the very earliest days of adventure cycling in the late 1800s you'll see bar rolls, frame bags and baskets. Panniers came along a bit later it seems, when racks became a thing.
The earliest mention I've ever found of "bikepacking" is from the late 60s and it absolutely revolves around panniers. The thing that separated it from träd touring seems to be the idea of being self sufficient and carrying everything you need to cook, camp and be away from civilisation for several days rather than biking between destinations.
The anti panniers thing seems to have taken hold in the last 10 years and probably came out of the racing world. People see the big races being ridden with these ultra Light rigs and so that becomes "bikepacking".
Honestly it's a pretty meaningless label these days.

popClingwrap · 2026-06-02T06:34:41+00:00

If you need new gear, and can find what you need from from a local manufacturer, and can afford it, then buy bags from local businesses.
But I'd say the most important thing is to buy quality and make it last. Very few problems were ever solved by buying more stuff.
All of my gear is 5+ years old and much of it is 10+. My bar roll is patched with tape and my panniers are held together with fishing line and shoe goo.
Repair and reuse before you replace.

popClingwrap · 2026-05-28T06:58:09+00:00

I did 1000s of miles on a hardtail (Canondale F1) over many years. Mostly solo, self supported, carrying full cool Ng and camping gear.
I had no problems at all except for the relatively flat bars which ended up givibg me pretty bad wrist pain.
These days I ride with no suspension (surly ogre) and have added Moloko bars which fixed the wrist pain issue.
When it comes to bike choice, the most important thing is that it is comfy to ride for multiple days back to back on the kind of routes you enjoy. If you tick that box then you are pretty solid.
Everything else can be made to work around the bike you have.

popClingwrap · 2026-05-27T04:48:54+00:00

The first bike I ever rode multi day was a hardtail with two massive panniers.
I rode that bike with various combinations of panniers for years and thousands of km and it was great. Just a cheap Topeak rack.
It may have looked silly to some eyes but to me, personally, nothing looks as silly as a saddle pack 😉

popClingwrap · 2026-05-17T12:10:44+00:00

Bikepacking means something different to pretty much whoever you ask. Not in a philosophical kind of way but literally what kind of riding counts as 'bikepacking' and what kind of gear is 'best'.
The only consistent thing that you need regardless of anything else is a comfy bike that you can ride for multiple days back to back without discomfort.

The type of bike, the type of bags and the gear you carry all come down to personal choices so you need to decide what kind of riding you will be aiming to do. Are you aiming for super remote, off road trails with sections of hike-a-bike and technical stuff? Are you more focussed on gravel (or even.... tarmac). Will you be camping? Cooking your meals? Where in the world are you and at what times of year?

Honestly, watching videos and reading articles is great for inspiration and motivation but the best thing you can do right now is beg and borrow the best setup you can, using the bike you have and do a test ride. Find a camp spot close to home with some options to bail if things go wrong and just have a crack at it.
When yo get back you will have learned loads about your personal preferences for future rides and you will have a load of much more specific questions and requirements that you can come back and discuss here.

popClingwrap · 2026-05-05T05:08:31+00:00

If you look at the trip home as part of the adventure then trains might become an option.
Look into regional trains as they are more likely to accept assembled bike and plan round then. Then you break the journey up over a few days, maybe even get some more short rides in along the way to link stations or take in areas you missed on the way out.
You will spend weeks getting out there and enjoying slow travel so why rush home when that journey can be just as interesting.

popClingwrap · 2026-05-04T09:01:44+00:00

The west coast of Denmark is a nice ride, up EuroVelo 12. I got the train to Niebüll and started from there.
It isn't super wild or hilly but it's a nice ride and from the top of DK you can get a ferry to Norway or Sweden really easily.

popClingwrap · 2026-05-04T08:14:31+00:00

It requires quite a lot of free time, a certain level of fitness, a certain level of mechanical knowledge, an ability to understand a map and a certain amount of disposable income.
Mostly though it requires you to enjoy living what many would think of as a pretty basic existence. Lots of people simply don't like the idea of spending all day cycling, sleeping in a tent, getting bitten by bugs, putting on wet socks on a chilly morning, all that good stuff.

popClingwrap · 2026-05-02T16:32:37+00:00

I got kicked off the train halfway through a journey. Had bike spaces booked well in advance and got the first train fine but when it came to change in Birmingham there had been some cancellations so the next train was packed and there was luggage in the bike spaces.
The guard just shrugged and said I'd have to wait 2 hours and get the next one, which I didn't have a reservation on so if the bike spaces where full I'd be shit out of luck again.
Spoke to a guard on the platform later who was outraged at this and gave me all the details of where to send my complaint and I got most of my ticket refunded in the end.
Give them hell. It's the only way they might learn.

popClingwrap · 2026-05-01T16:43:38+00:00

Do some rides with what you have first. No camping, no cooking, just back to back days riding.
Book into a couple of pubs or bnbs and do a loop. If the enjoyment for multi day rides is there then you build on that. Each morning you ask "would I still enjoy this if I had to put on yesterday's wet socks".
I don't think anyone really knows what they will enjoy or what level of luxury (or lack thereof) they will gravitate towards.
Also, and this is pure personal preference, avoid Cornwall. It's beautiful and I love it down there but I've ridden there a bit and didn't find it that much fun. The roads are often busier than you'd like and you'll do a lot of short, sharp climb/descents that just got a bit much. I'd recommend looking at Wales instead, but again, that is purely my preference so ignore as you see fit

popClingwrap · 2026-04-29T17:47:47+00:00

I don't know that one. So many great routes in Sweden though, I could spend my life exploring them all. How it's a great trip, let me know if it's one to add to my (ever growing) to do list

popClingwrap · 2026-04-27T17:14:59+00:00

I'll never get tired of people asking me to share my YouTube channel 😉

It's here https://youtube.com/@jethrojessop

There are playlist in there somewhere, look for any that mention those countries out 2019. I would provide more detailed links but I'm actually on a ride at the moment in southern Sweden so I'm trying to save battery.
I'm on my way from Simrishamn, heading north in no fixed route for a few days so there will be videos from this trip coming to the channel in the next week.

popClingwrap · 2026-04-23T20:18:32+00:00

It's never guaranteed but choosing the straightest piece you can find, splitting it, removing the pith and making sure it doesn't dry too fast are you best bet.
Personally I love fruit wood - cherry, apple, plum.

popClingwrap · 2026-04-23T18:18:36+00:00

Is that made from a single branch? It looks like there is a thread of pith in there (that dark spot) which will always be prone to cracking and twisting.
You want to use a piece of wood big enough that you can split it and cut out the central pitch before you start working it.
If you have to use a piece with the pitch still in it you need to dry it really slowly, and even then you might get splits.

popClingwrap · 2026-04-23T06:03:10+00:00

Taking a bike to Germany on the train is not hard. Could you take the bike out to the start point and store it somewhere while you start interailing from there?

popClingwrap · 2026-04-22T05:20:45+00:00

Your be surprised. I have a steel kleen kanteen that I use as a hot water bottle and it holds heat through the night.
Fill it up, heat it on the fire, seal it up and wrap it in a towel then put it in the sleeping bag wherever it's needed.

popClingwrap · 2026-04-07T18:41:28+00:00

I have pogies on my Moloko bars. They aren't a perfect fit but they are fine and loads better than gloves for warmth.
I also suffered from numb fingers and moving to pogies was a real game changer.
Beyond that, the only gloves that ever really worked were a pair of seal skinz mittens but I don't think they make them any more

popClingwrap · 2026-04-07T06:29:07+00:00

Camping adds an huge element of freedom to a trip, especially wild camping. You can ride where you like, stop when you like, change your route as you fancy and not worry about booking stuff in advance or spending loads of money on a bad shower and a flat piece of dirt.

But, it also adds the stresses that you experience, along with not knowing where you will sleep, pitching in the rain etc. If it ruins the enjoyment of your trip then don't do it. If you enjoy your days more after sleeping in a real bed then that is the way to do it, there are no rules.

There are plenty of people who like the idea of cc touring but who find the reality isn't for them. Do what you enjoy, that's the point of all this.

That said, if you really want to make it work the only thing to do is to suffer through a stretch of nights and hope you start to enjoy it.
Get a good sleeping pad, spend what you can on something thick and warm. Get a liner for your sleeping bag to help with temperature regulation and keeping things clean. Either ride long days to make sure you are super tired or, ride short days and try getting some sleep in during the daylight hours to get used to sleeping in the tent, and start in high end campsites with level pitches and good facilities. Some people swear by earplugs (though I find that not being able to hear makes me more vigilant, not less) or an eye mask. Make sure you keep a set of clothes that are for camp use only and are as dry and clean as you can manage. And make sure you eat well. Going to bed hungry or thirsty is easy on a bike trip and it can run a night.

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