Hey all, my question is to anyone with experience in changing over from a more traditional touring bike to something more like a gravel/bikepacking bike.
Currently I ride my trusty Long Haul Trucker with Ortlieb front and back rollers. Been traveling off and on for the last ten years but I'm increasingly spending time on dirt roads that can get a little hairy (no singletrack, though, which is fine).
I've done some riding through Latin America and truly the best routes down there are unpaved. Over the years, I've converted from drop bars to a Koga Denham mountain bar with horns. Likewise I swapped to V-brakes with mtb levers as well as trigger shifters (plus rougher 26×2" tires front and rear). With those changes, I've been able to get out on a number of "bikepacking" routes with long, steep climbs and descents over rocky roads and while the LHT feels a little "boaty" in its geometry, I get where I need to go (to give an idea, the Baja Divide broke me but rides like Oh Boyacá or Huascarán Circuit have been bumpy but do-able and fun)
I might have the opportunity to buy something like a more nimble "bikepacking" bike (something like a Surly ECR) before I head back out to ride the mountains. I wonder if anyone here has made a similar conversion and how did it feel?
For reference, I carry a medium amount of gear (~16kg) on long trips. I'm certainly curious about the trimmed down bikepacking set-up but I realize that would require a separate investment in new equipment and a different travel style. I'm interested in disc brakes but rim brakes (v-brakes with black&salmon Kool Stops) have worked wonders even in the rain.
I suppose my question, then, is mostly about the benefits of the different geometry of a bikepacking bike as well as anyone's experience of converting over to the more austere bikepacking kit for multi-month travel.
Can anyone here speak to this? Much appreciation for any feedback.
(Pics are my beloved Chavela with and without gear)
by SlowRoadSouth