Is it necessary to train for Bikepacking?
I recently came across a comment on Bikepacking.com from someone who rode the Colorado trail:
"When I did the trail, I didn't trail at all. I went from basically not working out at all, to attempting the CT"
This man rode one of the hardest routes there is with zero training prior. So no, you don't have to train for bikepacking, but you definitely should. Having a base level of fitness will massively enhance the experience for you, and this means developing strength as well as cardiovascular conditioning.
Why you should train for Bikepacking:
Training for bikepacking is often thought of as spending hours in the saddle or riding with a loaded bike. While it's definitely important to accumulate time on your bike, I've found that bikepacking is much more than just pedaling. I am constantly stopping to:
Lift my bike over fences:
Push my bike up steep and rocky terrain:
Squat down to set up my tent and cook dinner.
I've found it's better to build general strength and fitness than to focus purely on cardiovascular endurance, though both are very important. The greatest benefit I get from training for my bikepacking trips is that my body can take way more abuse. I can spend 12 hours a day in the saddle and not feel sore in the morning. I also recover a lot faster. I may not have the endurance capacity of a ultra runner, but after short rest and some food, I can keep going no matter how many hours I've already put in that day.
How I train for Bikepacking:
Here's how I structure my training. I train six days a week. This much training is definitely not necessary for everyone. You can definitely see progress with just three days a week if you're a beginner.
Monday: Lifting
Tuesday: Lifting + 3-mile run
Wednesday: High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)
Thursday: Lifting
Friday: 5-mile run
Saturday: Lifting + 3-mile run
My lifting routine focuses on movements like pull-ups, deadlifts, cleans, shoulder presses, and squats. These exercises mimic the natural movements of lifting pushing and pulling. They also burn more calories and help build a stronger, more stable core. If you do these exercises on a regular basis, I promise you will have an easier time during your next battle with tricky terrain or hike-a-bike.
Strength and Conditioning Principles for Bikepacking:
Lifting close to failure is what drives muscle growth and strength development. If you're wary of lifting heavier weights, you can still get strength benefits by focusing on slow eccentrics. This means slowing down the lowering phase of the movement. For example, during a squat, count to four while lowering the weight, and then explode back up. This controlled movement will help get you close to failure without the need for extra weight. As a beginner, you’ll want to aim for lifting 3-4 reps shy of failure on each set.
Cardiovascular fitness is also crucial for bikepacking. I prefer a mix of high intensity interval training and steady state cardio. Steady state is long duration exercise at a consistent heart rate, like running a marathon. High intensity interval training or (HIIT for short) is performed for shorter durations than steady state cardio, but at a much higher heart rate.
Here is a sample workout. For the strength training, I’ll be using the Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) scale to guide the intensity. RPE is a subjective measure of how hard you feel you're working, where 0 is no effort and 10 is your max effort.
Sample Strength training
- Back Squats: 4 sets x 10 reps (RPE 5)
- Deadlifts off a riser: 3 sets x 8 reps (RPE 5)
- Seated Shoulder Press: 3 sets x 10 reps (RPE 6)
- Weighted Pull-ups: 3 sets x 10 reps (RPE 9)
- Ab Rollouts: 3 sets x 10 reps (RPE 9)
As the exercises progress, the RPE scale increases. This is because exercises like squats and deadlifts are way more taxing on your joints than pullups and ab rollouts. Squats and deadlifts yield a greater performance benefit than ab rollouts, so it's important to balance both in your training.
Sample Conditioning
- Warm-Up: 3 rounds of 300m run + 10 burpees
- Stationary Bike Sprints: 10 seconds sprint/20 seconds rest for 20 minutes
- Interval Training: As many rounds as possible in 15 minutes:
- 12 kettlebell swings
- 10 burpees
- 15 pushups
- 15 squats
- 400m run
Interval training mimics the quick bursts of energy needed for things like pushing your bike up a hill or navigating tricky terrain. That’s why I prioritize it over steady-state cardio, but both are important.
Here is the link to a strength and conditioning program I would do to prepare for a trip
Here is the link to my video that examines this topic in greater detail
by SWDDDD
4 Comments
Thank you. I’ll be honest, I’m out of shape and completely zero conditioned. I have my bike, a surly long haul trucker, but someone broke into my garage and stole most of my gear excluding bike. Sad to say I’ve just lost all will and motivation to even get on it for the past few yrs. In the interim what also contributed to that more so for the entirety 100% of these past 6yrs, was losing both my parents suddenly within a couple of yrs between each. I’m just a tub of lard now tbh. I don’t even know how, or where to begin. It’s all just a pipe dream now to do my round the world trip I had planned. It is what it is, but this little bit of a guide helps out.
Sorry for the wall of ramble.
Also things like electrolytes and multivitamins for recovery helps a lot
>So no, you don’t have to train for bikepacking, but you definitely should.
I have to object to that.
I feel like it puts an extra entry border to bikepacking that is totally unnecessary.
Bikepacking is different for everyone and that’s absolutely fine.
If you want to train for your trip that’s great.
But if you can’t or won’t train before your trip that’s great too. Just go out there have fun with your bike! And don’t feel any pressure to feel bad about ‘not training’ before your trip.
If you want to do a 3000km trip in 2 weeks you should train. If you want to go on a chill bikepacking adventure you don’t have to train.
I personally would rather condition myself more to long rides than strengt training but we’re all different and different approaches are all good. I barely ever have to lift my bike on the routes I take. Interesting to see that some people specifically train for it!