Bikepacking is a new form of travel that merges cycle touring with camping overnight, and is one area of the growing popularity of outdoor recreation, adventure and ‘getting back to nature’. In the increasingly popular area of sustainable travel, it is one of many activities that point towards a future of learning to live lightly on Earth, including its ever-thinning atmosphere.
Social-media influencer luminaries have been essential to bikepacking’s rise, helping to produce instructional and inspirational content – and, in turn, motivating people to get out on their own bikes.
Trends in the Bikepacking Industry
Bikepacking is an emerging sport in the world of outdoor recreation that combines the fun of travelling by bicycle with the adventure of overnight camping to explore new destinations in a way that is sustainable, environmentally friendly, adventurous and fulfilling. Find out about its equipment, routes, community, and how it’s capturing the imagination of a whole new generation of cyclists to draw them into this exciting form of cycling adventure.
Bikepacking allows an explorer virtually unbounded and unhampered access to remote, little-known terrain and trails that are, as the name indicates, well and truly off-grid. It is the ultimate in self-sufficiency, which many bikepackers find one of the greatest – if not the greatest – appeal and attraction when bikepacking. Bikepackers like the freedom and self-sufficiency of the activity.
To meet the more streamlined demands of bikepacking, such bags must be lightweight and resilient, small but able to stuff a lot of gear into a limited space. Bikepacking seems to have acted as a catalyst for innovative but complex tech to meet its needs; there are frame packs, handlebar bags and saddle packs, all built pleasingly lightweight and swallowable enough to minimise strain on your shoulders.
Innovations in Bikepacking Equipment
Bikepacking – combining cycling and backpacking to produce a kind of hybrid outdoor activity – has exploded in popularity over the past few years. Now that it’s on the cusp of becoming an officially recognised pastime, expect to see an explosion of innovations in equipment designed for the activity.
Bikepackers now upload photos and stories about their experiences, and videos of their rides, on dedicated Instagram and YouTube channels that have helped to create a community of like-minded people all over the world while, perhaps more importantly, encouraging others to try it for themselves. And more people than ever are having the confidence to do just that.
In the wake of that trend, we could see a lot more bike-friendly infrastructure across the globe for those who want to cover longer distances on their bikes while being covered in maps. At the same time, we might see a continuation of innovation in bikepacking gear and equipment. There are companies that make purpose-built frame bags such as the US company Revelate Designs, which distribute gear in aircraft-style pouches to improve both packing space and weight distribution.
The Bikepacking Community
Many bikepackers prefer the simpler design of hardtail mountain bikes for backcountry adventures, which provide ample traction, handling and stability. Hardtails tend to be lighter than full suspension bikes while still affording extra-large tires; here’s a rider on the Colorado Trail sporting a framebag on a classic Surly Karate Monkey.
Lately bikepacking has enjoyed a surge in popularity, with stunning photos shared across social media, and races with hero riders, but really the practice has existed in modern forms for decades.
Similiar misunderstandings surround bikepacking, where it is often assumed that one needs to buy expensive niche or ultralight-specific items such as mountain or gravel bikes, and bags. However, this is not the case, and while it is possible to develop your own kit, bikepacking can be carried out on any bicycle – you can also seek out group rides on local groupstravel.com websites or plan your own route, or else get in touch with other bikepackers who might have old bikepacking gear that they’re willing to lend to anyone just starting in the sport.
The Future of Bikepacking
An interest in bicycle trips that involve carrying camping gear is being voiced on cycling-specific websites, discussed in bike shops and talked over in cyclists’ daydreams. Bikepacking – the sport of taking an ultralight form of cycling and strapping bags on to your bike to carry everything you need to be self-supporting on multi-day, usually off-road journeys – has become a popular pastime amongst avid riders.
Cycling Insight observes bikepacking as a burgeoning trend and a popular search term, peaking during COVID-19, as depicted in the line chart sourced from the blog.
Frame designs have been created as a direct result of the demand for pack attachment mounts; dynamo wiring can be internally routed to keep cables and wires clean; wider-ratio groupsets are being developed that will allow climbing hills with fully loaded packs. The future of bikepacking innovations is looking bright, and as the demand for dedicated bicycle touring/adventure grows even further, so too will the innovations created to aid in those pursuits.