Hello,
I would like to transition from road touring to more off road bikepacking. I originally thought to buy a new Salsa Fargo, but thought it best to first try to make the bike I have work. That said, it is an older Cannondale full suspension, so bag space is extremely limited and it is heavy. The two primary obstacles are:
- the saddle bag/drybag hits the rear wheel when the suspension compresses, even in the most rigid setting (photo shows suspension compressed)
- there is no space for a frame bag
Any ideas on how to overcome these hurdles to make the bike suitable for 3-4 day trips? Thanks!
by happybikes
2 Comments
Get something like the tetra rack (OMm, Ortleib) for the rear. Better the bag pushes up to the saddle than down on the tire.
With the tetra rack you can add a pannier, ain’t sexy but works. https://imgur.com/a/J8QbQTI
Yes the bike you have is the best bike and will probably work blah, blah, blah…
… but a 90s mtb for $50 off FB marketplace you give a quick check over and lube with a rack/panniers will be much better. Or another $50 for a decent used sewing machine and old tarp/ikea bags for a diy frame bag
Honestly you’ll have a bit of a difficult time getting much more onto your current bike without dropping a decent amount of cash on specific accessories. Backpacks, pipe clamps for fork mounting anything cages, top tube bag etc may work, but also kind of suck.