Packing your bike bags for an epic journey is no easy task. Too heavy and you will pay dearly on the climbs and long roads. Too light and you may be very uncomfortable and cold on and off the bike. In this video, I show you how to balance weight vs comfort and where to store all your gear for even and stable weight distribution.
00:00 Intro – My Bikepacking Set-Up
01:40 Packing Your Bags Correctly
05:00 How to Attach Certain Bags to the Bike
06:55 Understanding Weight Distribution
09:14 Total Weight – Too light, heavy, or just right?
09:41 The Bike – A few points to make
12:14 Coming up on the Channel
Bike: Canyon Grail SL 8.0: https://youtu.be/5A_tYKt_K7o
Gear I Use: https://youtu.be/Mrtu1k6t-qw
Bikepacking Bags I Use and Review: https://youtu.be/Qh4Vy9tjXDM
Visit http://www.cyclenorway.com for more information about cycling in Norway. The website will be updated in the coming months.
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/cyclenorwaycom
FOLLOW ME on Instagram for the latest updates: https://www.instagram.com/cycle_norway/
Latest Norwegian border information regarding travel: https://www.visitnorway.com/plan-your-trip/coronavirus-and-travelling-to-norway/
#Bikepackingsetup #BikepackingNorway #Apidura #BikepackingBags #BikepackingGear
in the stomach guys i can see the summit last push last push okay come on [Music] so if you want to know more information about the bags themselves then click here and if you want to go into more detail about the actual products i’m bringing you can check out my gear list here i use my rear saddle bag mainly for clothes obviously i’ve got to take warm clothes with me because of the altitudes and the climbing that i’ll be doing in addition i take a tent also my first aid kit camping mug and flip-flops and i also have space then for some food to fit in if required my full frame bag is for all my heavy stuff so i put my cooking gear down at the bottom along with my power bank and all my electronics batteries etc then i put my drone and the controller in the larger top pocket where it’s nice and safe and then on the other side i put all my toilet products in that compartment so at the front it’s very straightforward it’s a sleeping bag roll mat and camping pillow and then the tent poles i put on the outside of the handlebar bag which i’ll demonstrate later on this pocket bag i only use because i have a youtube channel so it’s basically my production during the day everything that i need to be able to grab easily my point-and-shoot camera tripod i’ve got a gopro mount i’ve got spare batteries for all my cameras it’s just easy accessible to take out of there and to film while i’m cycling in addition to that i’ve got a head torch that i use when i’m going through dark tunnels so this is everything i carry between the handlebars so my top tube is for bike repair and maintenance only i bring with me an inner tube a multi-tool kit cable ties chain lube puncture repair kit tyre lever and chain link [Music] my food pouch is obviously for snacks this is one day’s worth if i’m cycling for about eight hours i can fit up to two days worth of snacks in this pouch and also i’ve got the meshing around the side to add a few extra if required so obviously a big question is where are you storing your water and i’m using a camelbak this is a 12 liter rucksack with a three liter bladder i’m going to be in the mountains so there’s gonna be access to fresh water everywhere so i won’t be needing three liters at any point probably two two and a half at max but i’ve also got space to put some food in here especially when i go to the supermarket it’s great to be able to put food in here and then just cycle away i find the camelbak really really useful these days but i don’t think it’s for everybody it’s something you’ve got to feel comfortable with while cycling so this is what i wear when i’m on the bike i’ve got my mountain bike style shoes i’ve got a cap i’ve got a base layer vest i’ve got a cycling jersey a pair of socks cycling shorts pair of cycling gloves shades a phone which goes in my jersey pocket and i’ve also got a helmet with rear and front lights attached to it for when i’m going through the tunnel and a gopro on top so i get a lot of questions about how i attach my top tube with a canyon grail because you don’t have the traditional stem so as you can see i’m using a extra strap which goes a lot over the handlebars there keeps it pretty secure and then there’s another strap at the bottom here the pocket bag clips at the top into place onto the handlebar bag and then there’s one clip at the bottom here it’s an integrated system from apadura so this is my ingenious system at the front i have a woho harness and then that allows me to attach all three of these items together and securely so the first thing i do is i take one of the straps from the harness and i thread it under the pocket bag and over the handlebar bag and then that just clips into place at the front then i take my tent poles and i just thread them through the strap from the harness and it does take a little bit of time it’s a little bit fiddly just got to make sure that i push it through correctly and make sure that it’s in line and that it’s level and then that’s nice and secure and then i take the other strap and once again that goes under the pocket bag and over the handlebar bag and then that clips into place nice and simple as you can see this takes the matter of seconds to do and i’m ready to go all secure it’s not going to move while i’m cycling it’s not going to fall down any point and it’s so so stable i mean i can slam on this and it will not move in addition i’ve got plenty of space to change my gears which is so important and to break properly and i’ve got three places to be able to put my hands while cycling so lots of space for my hands perfect so so important when cycling for many many reasons on the rear we’ve got a 17 liter saddlebag and we’ve got 3.5 kilos in here 3.5 in the center just six liters we’ve got 2.8 kilos in the center lots and lots of heavy stuff on the top here handlebar bag and the pocket bag and the tent poles we’ve got a total of 2.7 kilos top two bag is 480 grams and the food pouch we’ve got 160 grams roughly 160 to 200 grams with a bit of food with a bit of food in it so next and i think that so what’s really important here is that you’ve got a really good balance between what’s on the rear here three and a half and the front 2.7 is not a massive difference so having that good balance between the two is absolutely essential if you’ve got too much weight at the back here especially when it’s so high up when you’re climbing that way it’s gonna be pulling you back and when you are descending it’s gonna feel very unstable when you’ve got a lot of weight here wagging away wagging away at the top here you don’t want heavy weight at the top closer to center gravity is where it should be same again at the front it there’s too much weight on here then you’re constantly compensating when you’re steering you’re having to kind of force the wheel to go to one side as it might be trying to pull to the other and when you’re descending that can be extremely dangerous and quite scary and i have been in situations like when that has occurred it feels like someone’s just pulling your wheel to one side while you’re traveling at 60 70 kilometers an hour that is not a good situation to be in trust me and then the middle here i mean having so much just six liters and having 2.8 kilos a lot of that is at the bottom lots of heavy stuff here at the bottom cent close to center of gravity so it’s just a fantastic weight distribution if i need to pick up the bike it’s just so easy i mean it’s literally incredible so the total weight for the bike the bags and my camelback is 22.35 kilos that would be the max weight i’ll be taking food and water on board so what’s your thoughts on the way to the bike and what i’ve brought with me let me know in the comment box would you go lighter would you go heavier for this sort of ride you want to know more about the bike setup then i have done a video on my canyon grail which you can watch here okay i think and briefly this is canyon grill cf sl 8.0 so it’s a full carbon frame it weighs around nine kilos it’s a 2018 model um some key features to mention so we’ve got a double ring here at the front this is a 50 34 and then we on the cassette on the back is 11.34 so with a lot of climbing this is a nice setup we’ve got plenty of gears for them epic climbs i’m going to do let me know your opinions do would you have changed this would you have a different cassette on here would you have maybe an 1136 and a single ring what would you do for these climbings i’m interested to know for sure uh other things to mention which is really important tires okay what sort of tires you know for so we’ve got 70 on on paved roads we’ve got around 30 on gravel some of them are going to be really tricky with a lot of sharp stones and such so i’ve gone for the classics i absolutely love these these are the shawobi g1 all-rounder now they’ve been around since about 2012 and they are just legendary in so many ways they’ve never let me down i’ve used them many times before so this is a 40 mil i kind of that is my go-to when it comes to tire size for bike packing 40 mil because i can go reasonably fast on the flats on the paved roads but at the same time you’ve got that security you’ve got that comfort you’ve got that stability on the off-road tracks on them gravel tracks and such so really really love love these and of course you’ve got the tan walls as well just makes them look really cool you’ve got to have the time walls seat so i have got a brooks b17 is a lot more comfortable than this one this is the physique alicante i think it is um but the reason i’m going for this one it’s around 350 grams lighter than the b17 the b17 is steel and it’s heavy this is carbon and a lot lighter and it’s once again it’s that balance in between comfort and weight when you go bike packing and deciding what is best and on this occasion i have to think about the weight but what would you go for let me know in the comments section to give you a heads up guys on what is coming up on the channel the rides i’m about to do now all over the mountain roads of norway which are only really accessible in the summer months and documenting it all and then we’re going to have this incredible series probably starting around september time leading up all the way through to christmas one episode a week of all the most amazing mountain roads in norway so you can follow me on my journey and also for the people who would like to do this themselves there’s gonna be lots and lots of information for you in addition to that guys i’ve got some fantastic videos coming up with farah it’s a bike company that i’m collaborating with here in norway so so many great videos coming on the channel but the only way for this channel to survive and the only way for this channel to grow is for people to like subscribe and comment it’s that simple really everybody does that you’re supporting the channel and all i want to do in return is provide you with amazing content and hopefully some great information so for the guys that want to go or come to norway and experience some of these amazing roads you’ll get that opportunity all right thanks for watching guys harder bra so this is the money shot guys this is the money shot i don’t know how well the gopro picks over the wide lens oh my incredible [Music] yes
39 Comments
Great setup Matthew! I've got the 2018 Specialized Diverge which comes in at 9.7 kg. I use the Ortlieb bags in nearly the se setup as yr Apidura. My framebag is a bit smaller than yours. I don't use a backpack at all except a rolled up one to carry food to camp. I use one food bag like you and one for water plus one one the frame and one in my new fork bags.
One big difference is my gearing: I run a 48/32 front and 11/40 cassette which I need for the steep hills. I hate to admit it but I might be 20 yes older then yourself 😬
Super helpful video Mat! Distributing weight and items is (I guess) one of the biggest headaches for people new to bikepacking so this is a tremendous help.
In your opinion, would one get away with a small framebag + bottles if you're not beinging the content creation gear like cams and drones?
Extra Q: is that an msr hubba nx 1 tent?
No reason for backpack
Love your setup and I look forward to more amazing footage from your upcoming ride!! For me, weight is not really an issue as I am never in a hurry to get anywhere! Cheers from Southern California!!
Enjoy the trip and thanks for sharing your insights with us! I look forward to your future videos.
And don't forget to pack your extra warm thermal gloves!!
I too have a Brooks B17 saddle that sits in my closet while I ride something else. My issue is the rails are too short to be able to push the saddle far enough back to be comfortable. So, without replacing the seat post, I use another saddle. It is also heavy. Appreciate the info in the video and continuing to inspire me to visit Norway some day.
Nice video! Thanks and enjoy the trip!!
Fantastic! More videos on the way. I would try to go lighter if at all possible and I would use a 1 X 38T chainring and an 11 X 46 cassette in the rear. I am using a 11 X 42 at the moment but i have far less accessories. Mind you I am much older than you so…Thanks Matthew!
Super excited about your next trip. I only recently finished your first series along the coast of Norway and it had some amazing sights.
I'm getting ready for my first trip this Monday. Probably a lot heavier than you setup, but that's also because I am prioritized using stuff I already have instead of spending too much on new equipment to optimize for weight. But it's only a four day trip, so it'll be fine 🙂
Great video as always. Many thanks.
I ride 1×11 on all my bikes. But there is no reason to replace a working 2×11. The gaps between gears with 1×11 is sometimes a little to big, so 2×11 is more comfortable. 1×12 will be the solution…
I've started touring this summer on my XXS Grail and have really enjoyed it so far. Because the frame is so small, a frame bag doesn't quite do the trick, so I use a Tailfin which works great. I put small panniers or cage bags on the Tailfin arms and strap an extra water bottle or tent poles under the very back of it. Also due to the XXS frame, the handlebars are too narrow to put a bag there so I use a small bar bag instead. I added cage mounts to the front forks to carry extra water and/or food and the cook system. I'm using regular water bottles in the frame as well as an Apidura downtube bag under the top tube for bike repair and first aid items. Packing for a two week trip from western NY state to Maine, the max weight is close to the same as yours (although I feel like I'm bringing more stuff). Due to the front forks cages, Tailfin, and no backpack, though, I'm carrying the weight much lower and with a larger percentage in the rear. I appreciate seeing how you attached the top tube bag and I might give that a try. This was a great video with lots of excellent advice and very useful detail. Thanks!
12:09 I did the opposite on my gravel build. I went from a carbon saddle & post back to steel and why? Because I have heavier weight on my post now. My carbon seating wasn't set up for bikepacking. I added a few grams, yes, but I added kilos of confidence and reliability to said seating kit as well.
Held og lykke med turen
I use the top tube bag for food, I think there's no need to have the repair kit so handy, it could go in the frame bag.
I really like the handlebar bag solution with the pouch over it.
Bike packing?. Lets state the obvious, people have been using bikes for getting about for a long time, its called" bike touring". Ive been doin it for 30 years on a "Touring Bike". U can load it up minimal or heavy, depending on ur pain threshold . Why put six bags on a lite bike when 2 paniers on a tourer do the same job, plus its stronger and is more verstile on a long tour. Drone. I could drone on about it, u need one( ur vids are great), nearly everyone else does not, its a waste of space and weight, so why include it in the pac list. I live in Scotland, just back from 4 days, doin some bothy's, tracks and gravel roads, on a touring bike. My longest tour went from Amsterdam to Lofoton, back to Stockholm and then the horror of flight with a bike. Bike Packing is a fantasy, lets go touring, the easy way, doesn't exist, its hard but the highs far outweigh the lows. I hate it when people reinvent the wheel, not u , by the way, its just this whole "bike packing" fantasy thing thats got out of control. Rant over.
Thanks for putting the videos together, enjoy the hard work ahead. 💪
7:06 shakes visibly when lifting 3kg – typical cyclist muscle mass distrubtion – all in the legs, 0 in the arms 😉
Thank you. Save some space and put zipties inside handlebar (literally) instead of bag :-).
I've always just gone with my cheap and cheerful rear panniers set up (15quid on eBay) but the hills, oh man the hills. With basically all the weight on the rear I ended up just getting off and pushing up most of the Atlas mountains. Time to invest in a decent set up.
Another very insightful video Matthew.
I think your kit list is spot on… so much so, I’m planning something similar for my up coming Drammen-Geilo-Haugastøl-Flåm-Gudvangen-Voss-Odda-Voss adventure. I see that you’re not taking many insulating layers, do you think that could be risky at the higher elevations?
I’m not sure if your Grail has bottle bosses or space below the down tube, but I’ve mounted a bottle cage down there to hold my tools in a tool keg. It’s 600g nice and low down.
Great content…. Keep it coming!
hi
Great video. Note on a GRX which I think you have you can go 2x 31-48 and 11-40… even if Shimano say it's past the max. All have to adjust the b-screw and it works perfectly, but don't cross chain. I'm super glad I have/installed that. For touring 2x all the way. I'd only consider 1x if you were 100% cross/trail riding where the pitch of the terrain often changes drastically…..just my 2 cents.
going on my own Norway bikepacking trip here 17th august from Bergen to Langesund and if my time allows it then down the coast to Kristiansand. my own setup is atm two backpanniers and my frame bag which all can hold pretty much all my gear and then on the front I have my water supply strapped on around 4 L I can go up to if needed mostly only 2 liters, so right now im in planning mode the route is pretty most set so now its how to pack it best
Looks like a perfect setup. Well laid out for weight distribution and gear selection.
Hi Matthew, thank you for your very inspiring cycling videos! Great content and editing! Inspired by your great videos, I cycled from Kokkola, Finland to Nordkapp through Nuorgam – Skiippagurra – Tana Bru – Ifjord – Kunes – Lakselv – Olderfjord – Nordkapp, 1700+ km in total in 29 days (quite relaxed, lots of resting days) in July-August this year with my Canyon Grand Canyon AL SL 8.0 (13.00 kg, not that optimal for long distance but works) and with Panaracer GravelKing SK+ gravel tires. In particular, your other video about your experience on Alta-Olderfjord section made me focus more on cold weather clothing. Rossignol slalom gloves were fine for cold days and nights and Spatz Neoz neoprene gloves did the job for rainy days. I'm really looking forward to seeing your new videos! Keep up the great work! 🙂
Cool video – many thanks!
Awesome video, Matthieu!
What kind of pedal and shooes are you using?
What kind of pedals do you have on this bike?
I'd definitely go with lighter gearing for this weight. Atm my gravel/adventure/bikepacking bike has 48/32 chainrings and 11/36 cassette and my goal is to change the chainrings to 46/30 once the current are used…I live in the french Alps and know climbing pretty well and my personal thought on stock gearing is that us folks, average Joes, never use the smaller cogs and with smaller chainrings we could use all the gears across the entire cassette.
Great channel! Thanks for the great content!!!
11-36 cassette and 26 smallest chainring for those "epic" climbs. Maybe i'm going 4-5km/h but it gets the job of hauling my fat ass and 60kg of maybe-needed stuff up there done nicely 😅😁
Thanks for this awesome video! I am so stoked on kitting my cannondale topstone for some bikepacking, and after watching your films I want to go to Norway 😁 I live just outside Umeå in Sweden, how far north in Norway have you cycled?
Hei hei Matthew! I’m going to buy a woho harness. Just wondering what size of dry bag you use? I have a canyon Grizl so should be similar to the one you are using. Thanks!!
Wonderful & inspiring 🚴🏋️
Matthew, thank you so much for this, it means a lot to a novice like myself. Novice to bikepacking that is, not cycling. I got interested in bikepacking less than a year ago but so far I haven't done one yet. As for cycling I've done all the distances of Styrkeprøven, including the big one from Trondheim to Oslo (and others), and now I wanna get out on an epic the likes of those you're doing. So far I've been watching Ryan Van Duzers videoes and dreaming about doing some of the stuff over there at some point, but on finding your channel just a couple of weeks ago I feel like I've struck gold and platinum and diamonds all at once. This is what I need. Your videoes are a huge inspiration to me. First off: It's Norway,. It's here and it's ready for me (I live 25mins south of Oslo, in Ski). Second: I'm biased, but there's probably no better country anywhere in the world to go bikepacking. Third: You are an outstanding ambassador not only to bikepacking, but also to Norway and it's senic routes. The way you're showcasing them in your videoes is beyond excellent and that's why I get sort of bummed out about your vids receiving less than 400 likes. You really don't receive due credit for your efforts. Anyway, looking forward to seeing your channel grow (as I'm sure it will) and also for the new website to go live. And your next trips, of course. Thank you so much for being a huge inspiration and for sharing both your experiences and your knowledge. Chapeau!!! Cheers 🙂
I would say you're a stronger rider than me so I would definitely need an easier bottom gear for those hills
Thank you so much for the valuable informations.
Joe from S Korea
This step-by-step weight distribution is very helpful.
Great information thanks. Getting to and from the start of a tour is a logistics issue on its own. Great if there's a bike friendly ferry like Newcastle or Hull to Holland. Otherwise a pain. And trains can be a nightmare. Please note in Holland when you take your bike on a train, they like you to remove panniers. So looking forward to detail on Norway.