Hey awesome bikepackers!
I'm planning an epic 3000km bikepacking adventure through France and Spain over the course of a month. However, I'm a total newbie when it comes to multi-day bikepacking trips. While I've crushed some 200km day rides, this will be my first time strapping on all the gear and hitting the road for an extended journey.
As I'm gearing up and acquiring the necessary bags and equipment, I have a few questions I'm hoping some experienced bikepackers can help me out with:
1/ My current bike (pictured) is an aluminum mountain bike, not one of those fancy gravel or carbon bikes a lot of you shredders are rocking. Think this bad boy can handle the demands of a 3000km trip, or should I look into a different setup?
2/ One of my fenders got a little banged up recently. Is it worth replacing for a bikepacking adventure, or can I just ditch the fenders altogether? I'm kinda clueless on their purpose for this type of riding.
3/ I'm embarrassingly lacking any sort of bike mechanic skills. Heck, I don't even know how to change a flat tire! For a total maintenance noob like myself, what's the best way to get up to speed on essential repairs before this trip? Should I try teaching myself or hook up with a bike mechanic for some lessons?
I've got about two months until my planned departure, so I'm aiming to use that time wisely to properly prep. Any sage wisdom or pro tips from seasoned bikepackers would be hugely appreciated! Stoked to join the bikepacking community.
by EngineerNo1054
4 Comments
1. This bike is fine
2. Purpose of fenders is mostly to protect you from water when it’s wet/raining and dirt
3. Yeah this is mostly an “experience” issue, I don’t think you want to deliberately break things to fix it. But you can just mimic the process, learn how to remove the wheel, change a tube, change brake pads, that sort of thing, park tools on youtube has loads of videos you can learn from.
hike, don’t bike. hiking gives more freedom and less buttache.
Not what you were asking, but 3000 km in a month is a lot. You would have to consistently do long days, and not have a lot of time for sightseeing, and little flexibility to stop in nice place you may discover.
If you are sure that’s what you want: great – but I would generally advise to plan 1500 – 2000 km per month.
Bike is fine. Ditch the kickstand and get a tune up at your local bike shop prior to the ride.
If you’re expecting heavy rain, fenders could be nice. But not a necessity especially if you’re packing extra clothes.
You need to know some basics. Especially how to change a tire. Watch some YouTube videos and see if there are any local classes.