Bikepacking Guide: Essential Bag Packing Tips

You’ve no doubt seen the pictures. Every bike-packing cyclist seems to have a different way of packing, and there is something very inviting, almost intimate, about looking at someone’s packing list all laid out neatly on the floor the night before a big adventure starts.

But if you are about to head off on your first overnighter, you could be excused for feeling a little overwhelmed. I mean, where do you start? What should you pack? Will you have enough space? Will it fit on your bike? And the big one for me: how do you avoid the never-ending “faffing”*?

So let’s break it down into the essential elements and things you need.

Step 1: Water Storage

All images thanks to Ready Aim Media

Decide where you are going to store your fluids. You aren’t going to get very far without water, and knowing how much you need to carry is a good place to start. If you are doing a simple overnighter and there are places to refill bottles, be it from town water or from a creek that you then filter and purify, that will make a big difference to how you pack compared to knowing that you may not see water for 200km or more, in which case you will need much greater capacity.

For this exercise, let’s assume you can get away with two 1-litre bidons and you are going to mount them as low as possible in the front triangle.

Step 2: Frame Bag Selection

Your previous decision will determine what size frame bag you can carry. With the bidons firmly locked into your nice titanium cages, you’ll want a half frame bag to carry your food and some essentials. Frame bags are awesome as they are light, can carry lots of stuff, and are easy to access while you ride. Now you have chosen a frame bag, you may as well choose a top tube bag that complements the frame bag. These are sometimes called a TT bag or a Fuel Cell bag as they look like the fuel tank from a motorbike. This bag is great for storing other items that you might want easy access to while you ride, including electronics, so make sure it is nice and waterproof.

Step 3: Minimising Stops

Cargo bib shorts, with pockets on the side of the shorts, can provide easy access to food or tools and reduce faffing.

What’s the deal with accessing stuff “while you ride”? Every time you stop, it’s time lost that you could be rolling, and that equals time that could be spent out of the saddle enjoying a beverage at your destination pub. Think about it this way: every 5 minutes you stop to “faff” is another 5 minutes you are away from the finish for the day. So you definitely want things organised in a way that allows you to keep rolling as much as possible. The pockets in your jersey and cargo bibs will help to keep your non-moving time to a minimum.

Step 4: Saddle Bag Placement

Behind the saddle is another great spot to store luggage. I like to use the largest saddle bag I can find that does not rock side to side as you pedal. Apidura bags are great for this, but Restrap, Revelate and Ortlieb also do some nice kits. Tailfin is really good in terms of stability and room, as well as being pretty aero, but it is expensive. One thing you might find challenging is fitting a large bag if you are rocking an XXS frame size and 29”/700C wheels. Also, keep in mind you want it to be easy to remove as this can act as your overnight bag with all your spare clothing. It’s nice to have a few loops that you can tie things to. On multiday trips, I’ll use the top of my saddle bag as a place to dry the socks I washed the night before and maybe keep my rain jacket handy.

Step 5: Handlebar Roll

The handlebar roll is another no-brainer, especially if you are planning on doing some camping on your trip. Getting it to fit neatly among aero bars, lights, head units/GPS, gear cables, and brake lines is another story, especially if you have a very short head tube. This will therefore limit the size of the handlebar roll to avoid it rubbing on the front tyre. You need to make sure the cables and brake lines aren’t going to foul on the bag or wear through something with all the rubbing and vibration. I prefer the bags that roll up from either end of a cylindrical design. The ones with zippers on the top are hard to pack and hard to find what you want. You do not want to be taking this bag on and off.

Final Thoughts

We’ve covered the basics: water storage, frame bags, saddle bags, and handlebar rolls. From here, it is a question of what is left to pack. Can you get away with a small backpack, or are you going to wear a hydration pack to free up some space for a larger frame bag?

Chaff bags (e.g. see the Restrap bag here) are also very popular just because they are so easy to access, and you can store just about anything in them, including extra drinks. Another area for storage is the bosses on either side of your fork. These are great for water storage or some added gear storage.

Finally, there is usually a spot for a bottle cage on the underside of the down tube. Although you can keep a spare water bottle there, it is very hard to remove while riding without losing a fingernail. I like to use this to hold my spares keg, which can get as muddy and dirty as anything without any issue.

A bottle on the underside of the down tube to put your spares in, frees up space for a rear saddle bag.

And voila, you are ready to saddle up and head out into the wilderness. Over time you’ll slowly collect a range of different accessories that suit different types of rides, so don’t fall into the trap of buying everything up front. Be picky, and when considering another purchase, think about how it can complement your existing kit. Don’t be afraid to make do until you are absolutely certain about what you really need.

If you’ve got a particular bag need or problem to solve, we’d recommend getting in touch with one of our partners, Bike Bag Dude, who specialises in making custom bags for any frame or adventure!

We might take a look at packing lists in a future feature. It’s always a compromise between taking only what you really need and making sure you don’t cut it too fine in case things take an unexpected turn.

*DEFINITION: faff about/around (British English, informal): to spend time doing things in a way that is not well organised and that does not achieve much. “Stop faffing about and get on with it!”