Long Time backpacker with an extensive gear closet. The idea of being able to triple or more my daily mileage is pretty tempting. I have a cannondale carbon 2 race bike (older 2015 ish)
Is there a reason I don’t see to many bike packers with carbon framed rigs? Would the added weight of the bag setups be a problem for the carbon fiber frame specifically with a rear panier setup? Or am I overthinking this?
Seems like for a few hundreds bucks I could outfit my bike and be on the trail. Or should a be looking at a new bike??
by GlockTaco
2 Comments
I use a carbon gravel bike loaded up. Just need to check specs for load limits. These are normally for the wheels but some seat stays have them. Not sure if lefty forks have a limit. Look on bikepacking.com for cheap bag options to see if you like it, the dry bag saddlebag is clever. Side note. I have a steel HT and I don’t need to worry about load weight. I back pack and love the achievable distances on a bike.
Carbon frames can suffer from abrasion where bags rub through the paint and into the carbon. Add some frame tape and you should be fine, just keep an eye on spots where bags touch the frame.