Bikepacking Gear
The bike matters less than the bags. Any rigid frame with clearance for 40mm+ tires works. Steel, aluminum, carbon — doesn’t matter. What matters is where you put the weight.
Three bags handle 90% of setups: framebag, seatpack, handlebar roll. The framebag sits in the triangle, low and centered — heaviest items here. The seatpack hangs behind the saddle, 10-15 liters, for bulky light stuff like your sleeping bag. The handlebar roll carries your shelter.
Weight distribution changes how the bike handles. Front-heavy makes steering sluggish. Rear-heavy makes climbing twitchy. Centered weight — in the framebag — keeps the bike balanced. Load the heaviest items (food, water, tools) there first.
The target: under 30 pounds total. Shelter (2 lbs), sleep system (2 lbs), clothing (2 lbs), food and water (10 lbs), tools and spares (2 lbs), bags themselves (3 lbs). The rest is margins and luxury items.
Tires are the first upgrade. 40-50mm width, tubeless, with some tread. Wider tires at lower pressure smooth out rough terrain and reduce flats. I run 47mm at 28 psi — slow on pavement, fast everywhere else.
Second upgrade: a dynamo hub. Generates power from wheel rotation. Charge devices while you ride. No more rationing phone battery or carrying heavy power banks.
The philosophy: bring enough to be safe, not enough to be comfortable. Every gram you carry goes up every climb. The lighter the kit, the farther you can go and the more you’ll enjoy getting there.