The Self Sufficient Bike Camping Thread.

Hamsta

Likes Bikes and Dirt
How tall are you Hamsta? I am 6'3" and cant fit inside one completley. I also found it a bit cold when camping outside on a cool autumn night.

I am pretty particular with keeping warm while sleeping though amd I am willing to carry a little more weight to do so.
I am 5' 8" and about 77kgs. I slept on my deck last night in the bivvy on a self inflating mat and a silver foil folding car windscreen shade (these are really light and work well to keep body heat from passing through my sleeping mat, or maybe the cold from the ground permeating up through my sleeping mat?) and I was warm enough to have uninterrupted sleep. I slept in the bivvy in some shorts, merino socks, a long sleeve merino t-shirt and a beanie. The thermometer said 3 degrees when I woke this morning and thankfully, the inside of the bag was dry.
 
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ers

Likes Dirt
I am 5' 8" and about 77kgs. I slept on my deck last night in the bivvy on a self inflating mat and a silver foil folding car windscreen shade (these are really light and work well to keep body heat from passing through my sleeping mat, or maybe the cold from the ground permeating up through my sleeping mat?) and I was warm enough to have uninterrupted sleep. I slept in the bivvy in some shorts, merino socks, a long sleeve merino t-shirt and a beanie. The thermometer said 3 degrees when I woke this morning and thankfully, the inside of the bag was dry.
Have also read lots (haven't done it yet) re silver windscreen shade as insulation. Fishers use it as a diy catch bag. Lots re use for camping.
 

Elbo

pesky scooter kids git off ma lawn
Talking about insulation from the ground… I was blown away by the difference between my new Thermarest ProLite and my old foam roll. I had limited funds for new gear and opted to upgrade my sleeping mat arrangements and rug up with thermals in my current sleeping bag. The Thermarest easily added a couple of degrees to my sleeping bag and my back was toasty warm, even in the Snowies during May.
 

FatGuts

Likes Dirt
Talking about insulation from the ground… I was blown away by the difference between my new Thermarest ProLite and my old foam roll. I had limited funds for new gear and opted to upgrade my sleeping mat arrangements and rug up with thermals in my current sleeping bag. The Thermarest easily added a couple of degrees to my sleeping bag and my back was toasty warm, even in the Snowies during May.
Yep, my Exped blow up mat is awesome. Very un-air mattress like in warmth.
 

Hamsta

Likes Bikes and Dirt
I recently went out on the Mundabiddi bike trail for a few nights using the SOL bivvy sack, one of these STS bag liners and a sleeping mat in a three sided trail hut. The combination worked very well, was plenty warm enough and packed down pretty small.

http://www.seatosummit.com.au/products/liners/thermolite-reactor-extreme-liner/?ref=sleep-systems

I have been using one of these sleeping mats for about 12 months now and given the pack-down size v's weight v's comfort trade off (as with everything) it works very well. I ran a couple of beads of clear silicon down the bottom of the mat to stop it sliding around on the floor of my micro-tent.

http://www.raysoutdoors.com.au/Product/MAT-INFLATE-RAPTOR-740-OEX/368223?menuFrom=5041109
 

climberman

Likes Dirt
So it has been a while since I was on here. I sent the link to a mate of mine as he is planning to do some overnight stuff and a bigger trip.

I started to read the whole thing again, jeez its a good thread.

Anyway, a couple of mates and I jumped on our bikes last year and headed off into the wild blue yonder, not technically "bikebacking" but you get that.

Have a read, ask any questions you like:


https://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/?o=tS&doc_id=15839&v=Cs
Nice!
I rode the Barry Way a few years back. Great touring country. I did Delegate to Jindy, great drop to McKillops from Delegate, and great drops to Suggan Buggan and then back into the Snowy. Wild country.
 

FatGuts

Likes Dirt
Nice!
I rode the Barry Way a few years back. Great touring country. I did Delegate to Jindy, great drop to McKillops from Delegate, and great drops to Suggan Buggan and then back into the Snowy. Wild country.
Yah the drop into Jacobs was epic.
 

LPG

likes thicc birds
I thought I might as well introduce myself here. I've done quite a bit of bike touring over the last 6 or so years. Most long ones end up being overseas as it can be more exciting but I've done some local trips in NSW as well. Most of my trips have all been to pretty remote areas including Siberian boonies for ~3 months (Bam road and the 110 east of lake Baikal), Anticosti Island for 2 weeks (Nearly uninhabited island in the middle of the st Lawrence river), A section of the Bicentennial National Trail (from near the QLD border South for 2 weeks until my rear hub shell cracked between the flanges). I've also done a couple road based trips to europe, one spending 4.5 months going just about everywhere I could and recently with my partner on the back of a tandem from Munich to Montenegro.

A few photos

Siberia

P6300927.jpg

P7011064.jpg

Anticosti Island

IMG_0663.jpg

P7293735.jpg

Bicentennial National Trail

P7023063.jpg

P6303003.jpg
 

Peter650

Likes Dirt
Gday guys. I use to do a fair bit of bicycle camping / fire trail touring on a fixed gear. Besides tools, & spares (spokes, tubes, & split link) all i took with me was a billy, box of matches & wool blanket. Didn't really need anything else. I did some really good door, to door trips for basically zero dollars (if you don't include tyre/ chain & sprocket wear). My advice to anyone, is grab a old wool blanket, & tin can, & go for it.
 

LPG

likes thicc birds
Awesome! Looks like a couple of amazing trips LPG.
WOW. Those places look amazing.

Cheers,
CBG.
Thanks Elbo and CBG

I've another trip in August to ride the Colorado trail. Logistically it's much simpler than some of the more remote trips I've done but with over 22km of altitude gains in roughly 2 weeks it will have it's own challenges. Might need to actually do some training this time. I will be packing much lighter on my plus hardtail (Trek Stache 7).
 

Peter650

Likes Dirt
A nice easy 2 or 3 nighter for Sydney, or Central Coast guys (in reverse ). Richmond train station to Wheeny Creek, upper Colo, then head up the hill till you get to the tar turn right then left onto Wheel barrow ridge road, then left onto wheelbarrow ridge track, then left onto Bicentennial road, then StAlburns, Buckety, turn right on tar to Kulnara, left into Watagans state Forrest, then Wyong railway station. There is water, & bush Tucker along the way, but you would want to carry a few litres some of the climbs can make you a little thirsty.
 

Peter650

Likes Dirt
I have decided to do a bit of touring . My plan is to build, this bike into a no nonsense touring machine ( over the next few months ). The shopping list is basically a spline drive crank, a fix gear hub, a little rack over the front wheel. That should just about do it, i reckon. If i can keep the bike, gear, food, & water under 38 lbs i will be happy. Got to still be able to jump waterbars, or there is no point going touring is there .
 

LPG

likes thicc birds
Never ridden a fixie offroad (or much at all) but I can't imagine them being good for jumping waterbars as the feet have to keep turning.

For anyone who unfamiliar with the barbaric measurement system only sanctioned for use in Samoa and one other strange country 10lbs of gear is ~4.45 kg. I take it you aren't including water in that figure and aren't going for more than one or two nights? Keep in mind that the bags and racks used to carry things can carry a fair bit of weight themselves.
 

Peter650

Likes Dirt
Lpg fixies are not as hard to jump as you would think. While you are in the air, you don't have to pedal. You just have to ready to start pedalling as soon as the back wheel hits the ground.
 
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