The Self Sufficient Bike Camping Thread.

[gcouyant]

Whether or not I could huddle under a tarp in the rain is a whole 'nother question.

...and don't forget the mozzies

It's easy to lose focus asometimes and become obsessed with weight and bulk. As you no doubt know only too well from experience spoonie, a good night's sleep does give you the energy and mental stmina to deal with (and even enjoy) the day ahead. Indeed, you'll have the energy to carry that extra hundred grams...

Trying to sleep with an earful of mozzies as you keep moving to avoid the growing wet spot at the feet of your sleeping bag is a sure recipe for a crap day in the saddle.

 

[ebuk]

http://www.bikepacking.net/wp/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/TD_write-up.pdf

Apart from being an interesting story of his trip, there is a VERY detailed listing of kit and weights at the end.

 

[DW-1]

Dr Eggs sir...

could I beg you to consider changing the name of this thread... please?

Don't get me wrong... It's descriptive and everything... but it's soooooo "wordy"...

"bikepacking" would simplify things a great deal.

Or I could just go back to my corner quietly...

Elvis.

 

[DaGonz]

I also have a number of other more robust tents like a magnificent Sierra Designs Hercules but it's not something I'd strap to the bike without moaning about the weight and bulk compared to some of these modern technical super-light weight tents.

I have a SD Lightyear. I can get it down to about 1.4kg's trail weight which is *ok* but not stellar but it's kept me dry, warm and bug free through at least one nasty storm. By comparison my floorless, bugscreenless Mid is 1.05kgs with a pole, 850g without (I could take a long bit of vb cord and find a tree for example). There are other advantages to the mid like I can cook in it, fit me and the bike and all my gear in it... If it's raining or stupidly cold, being able to fire up the stove inside the tent has some serious advantages

If I was buying new, I'd possibly look at a lighter single man, but you have to spend a lot of money to drop 100grams on the lightyear :/ There's a really nice looking vaude one that fits into that category 1kg, 1-2man, plenty of room, Stupidly expensive...

I would have thought a single wall, well designed tent would breath enough to minimise condensation? Condensation is still an issue even with my proper double wall tents...

Cheers
Spoonie

 

[Dreggsy]

Dr Eggs sir...

could I beg you to consider changing the name of this thread... please?

Don't get me wrong... It's descriptive and everything... but it's soooooo "wordy"...

"bikepacking" would simplify things a great deal.

Or I could just go back to my corner quietly...

Elvis.

Not a fan of words eh Elvis?

 

[QZ13]

My vote is for - The Self Sufficient Bike Camping Thread (with or without green ginger wine?)

please

0r - The Self Sufficient Bike Camping Thread (with knife and fork, but no spoon)

 

[Dreggsy]

My vote is for - The Self Sufficient Bike Camping Thread (with or without green ginger wine?)

please

0r - The Self Sufficient Bike Camping Thread (with knife and fork, but no spoon)

He He,

I just looked under my bed, and will try to build up something new.
Can you say Titanium? can you say Litespeed,

Can you say.

dual suspension single speed 3 times quickly?

Green ginger wine is a must

 

[droctagon]

Loving this thread,
Can someone add some kind of average overall goal weight to give everyone a ballpark ideal figure to aim for when fully loaded (minus the bike and rider)
for instance - Average maximum desirable weight (fully loaded) = 'x' kgs (standard essential items)
- Average 'Super light' "goal weight" (something to aspire to when fully kitted out with the ultimate setup etc.)
Basically giving aspiring bikepacking adventurers an idea of what would be considered 'overloading'
and 'acceptable' whilst giving us a possible goal to achieve the most compact, lightweight, streamlined balance of 'essential' gear. This will also allow us to start with what we currently have, and then go from there.
There's so many options when it comes to camping and survival gear, the 'gear-head' in all of us is just bursting to get out and go ballistic with ideas.

 

[Dreggsy]

Loving this thread,
Can someone add some kind of average overall goal weight to give everyone a ballpark ideal figure to aim for when fully loaded (minus the bike and rider)
for instance - Average maximum desirable weight (fully loaded) = 'x' kgs (standard essential items)
- Average 'Super light' "goal weight" (something to aspire to when fully kitted out with the ultimate setup etc.)

I had just finished weighing up some stuff of mine,(minimal stuff at that.)
all up it weighs 8KG of "Stuff"

This doesn't include food or water or green ginger wine.
I'm guessing water will be another 4kg?
Food another 2kg?
Green ginger wine in a hip flask 400g?
This also doesnt include the clothes I'll be wearing whilst riding.
I can give you a complete list of stuff if needed,

some stuff of mine weighed more than I anticipated like the bivvy bag and my sleeping bag both ended up being 1.8KG each.
Everything is also in a bag of some sort.

There is some new Sea to Summit stuff coming out but the container wont get here until Sept sometime.

 

[pi11wizard]

Loving this thread,
Can someone add some kind of average overall goal weight to give everyone a ballpark ideal figure to aim for when fully loaded (minus the bike and rider)

Marshal got his Tour Divide kit down to 41pounds here. That includes bike and everything. Interestingly, no backpack at all - much the same as Matthew Lee.

 

[pi11wizard]

This doesn't include food or water or green ginger wine.
I'm guessing water will be another 4kg?
Food another 2kg?

I took far to much food with me on the last trip. I am shooting for the 'less is more' approach this time around. I am going to make better use of re-supply points along the way.

 

[bear the bear]

Been follow this thread even though I have no intention of participating in the hijinks at this point, (family, life, and motivation not withstanding) but what is everyone intending at time wise ie an overniter, a week? etc also who is going to be the first to kick it off?

The Bear

 

[QZ13]

who is going to be the first to kick it off?

The ear

Read again then bear, peeps have already given it a toe.

 

[Dreggsy]

Planning on a 4 niter in a few weeks.

Pillwizard and QZ13 have done "it" already, it's just up to the rest of us virgins to do "it".

 

[pi11wizard]

Planning on a 4 niter in a few weeks.

Pillwizard and QZ13 have done "it" already, it's just up to the rest of us virgins to do "it".

Hey, easy now,
There are enough rumors floating around about how we stayed warm way up on that ridgeline without you adding fuel to the flames

 

[DaGonz]

0r - The Self Sufficient Bike Camping Thread (with knife and fork, but no spoon)

No spoon? *sniff*

but what is everyone intending at time wise ie an overniter, a week? etc also who is going to be the first to kick it off?

Read again then bear, peeps have already given it a toe.

Yeah... this is hardly a new concept. I think a few of us have just decided to either take a crack at it or take it to another level. There's also a couple of underground "races" popping up already, no entry fee, no prize money, Glory only to your peers... Again, not really new just some of us are giving it a crack or whatever...

I've done overnighters before, usually staying in a pub somewhere. I'm looking to do Canberra to Newcastle in Sept which will be my first real "big" bikepacking trip

*shrug*

Cheers
Not the Knife or the Fork!

 

[ebuk]

I took far to much food with me on the last trip. I am shooting for the 'less is more' approach this time around. I am going to make better use of re-supply points along the way.

All I ever seem to see you eat is Twisties! Although that may be because by the time I have caught up you and three teen have finished the smoked mussels and cheese platter .

Yeah... this is hardly a new concept. I think a few of us have just decided to either take a crack at it or take it to another level. There's also a couple of underground "races" popping up already, no entry fee, no prize money, Glory only to your peers... Again, not really new just some of us are giving it a crack or whatever...

I'm bored of racing and this type of stuff fills in the blank space as it were.

Not the Knife or the Fork!

I see you've played knifey spoonie before.

 

[thecat]

Very true. I plan on doing this tour sometime round october. I'll try and modify it for more dirt roads but I think it will be enjoyable for the scenery.
http://www.cycleaustralia.info/cycling/wollemi.htm

"Traffic is very light throughout the trip with two exceptions: (1) the 50km section from Angus Colliery to Capertee (particularly for 10km along the highway between Lidsdale and the Wallerawang turn-off)"

Not sure why you'd go highway here anyway. You cut some kms, get more awesome views and have a lot more fun cutting across long swamp to Baal Bone Gap.

If you can get permission off Pantony Station you can slip down Baal Bone Gap into the Capertee, otherwise hang a left and out to the highway at Ben Bullen

http://ctmbc.net/node/15143

 

[Steve_N]

What about a Topeak Bikamper? Thought this might actually be a good idea for these sorts of adventures...

 

[Pizzaz]

What about a Topeak Bikamper? Thought this might actually be a good idea for these sorts of adventures...

That actually looks pretty cool... Bit on the heavy side though and could involve some fiddling...