I went on a 40 mile bikepacking trip last summer. After about 25 miles I was feeling it. Im wondering what changes I could make to my bike. Its a XC bike, Giant Talon 1. I dont want to buy a new bike lol, just want to gear this one towards longer bike packing experiences.
by CompetitiveDark5554
20 Comments
Absolute cannon out the back😆
Holy tail wag Batman!
You don’t need a new bike. Any bike is a bikepacking bike. You just need to ride more. A little training goes a long ways. Getting in better shape is important if you want to go further. You will get faster and use less energy, both help you go further.
How much time do you put in on the bike? And when you ride, do you ride heavy (with a load)? The other question is how much elevation gain on your route? How did you fuel during the ride? And when you say you were “feeling it” was it just during the ride or did that also include recovery? A lot of questions, but hard to know how to help without more information.
Maybe taking an elephant’s cock with you was the problem?
Get a full frame bag and reduce size of the seat pack. You’re approaching flextrek whipsnake territory with that seat pack! If you can add a dropper post do it. Most importantly, plan your next trip!
You sent a pic of your bike when you should have sent a pic of the carbs you consumed…Â
…Or maybe you DID send a pic of the carbs you consumed.
What were you feeling exactly? Tired? Bored? Do you ride at all? I mean, i tend to ride like maybe 50 miles in a month, and then go on big weeks long trips, so you dont really have to train for bikepacking, so i’m wondering what you were feeling.
Aside from that turd you got sticking out the back, nothing is wrong with your setup. You could get an old man mountain or ortlieb quick rack and a dry bag, but aside from that, without more information, i dont know what you expect
Loonnnnngggggg
I literally had the exact same set up and exact same problems when I started bike packing. I ended up buying a new bike, because overall, the gearing, the fit, just wasn’t the right bike. Ended up getting a Salsa.
I realize that you don’t want to do that, so if there was only one thing to change, I would suggest a larger chain ring + chain (or groupset) The gearing just isn’t right for covering large ground. I ended up doing 25 miles and was exhausted.
https://preview.redd.it/jvms30n6mpgg1.png?width=1321&format=png&auto=webp&s=c551ebfced0ca4aa6eeff01366800866f80deeea
There are two main things you can do. The first is to fit some faster rolling tyres. Schwalbe rapid rob and racing ray combo or Continental race kings (I think now called dubnital). It’s your only contact with the ground and some faster tyres will make a noticable difference.
The second is improving the most important part of the bike… You! Look up some cycling fitness training plans geared aÅ¥ endurance and follow one for 6-8 weeks. You’ll get to enjoy riding for longer!
Have panniers gone out of style? Is having most of your stuff sticking out the back better in some way?
Maybe get some fork bags and consolidate some of that seatpack.
Every trip is a learning experience, and mine started almost identical. Bikepacking is slow going- I assume 10mph is cookin when planning haha
I’ve grown to like most of the weight up front- Larger roll on the bars, full frame bag, small saddle pack, and usually sfork bags. Happy to chat more, even if it’s about stuff I don’t make
Less cargo and lower rolling resistance tires would be the biggest and easiest improvement, followed by lighter wheels, cassette and rotors since rotating mass has the biggest impact, from there reducing weight where you can, lighter fork, lighter crankset, bottom bracket, and so on…
Also, don’t neglect ergonomics, you could go further with less fatigue on a 40lb bike that’s comfortable than you could on an ultra-light 20lb bike that isn’t setup right for you.
First get a shorter seat bag. That thing is ridiculously long. It will make the bike wallow an insane amount
I could not imagine the core this required. I bet pretty fatiguing on the upper body too. I still don’t understand the hate for racks in bikepacking. Your bike can take it. I can easily fit a 20-25l drybag strapped on my bike. Could consider more but don’t for appearance sake. Your bike will be much more stable and it will be easier to pack.
No
That seat pack is WILD!
I rode a seat pack on my first trip and immediately looked for alternatives. Now I run a rear rack with small bikepacking-specific panniers. It keeps the weight low on the bike, which makes the bike more stable. Less fighting a high COG means the ride is less taxing.
Similarly, I got as much weight and stuff off my bars as I possibly could. Handlebar rolls are impractical to me. I use King Cage Manythings Cages and roadrunner bags on the fork. Again, this lowers the center of gravity and gives me more space for my hands.
I know you said you don’t want a different bike, and that’s fine, but I can’t imagine going all day with only one hand position. I run drop bars on my Fargo. I use the shallowest drops I can just to give myself space to stretch out and have three or four different positions on the bike.
This is what works fit me. Your mileage may vary.
Feeling what? There is nothing inherently wrong with that bike which would make it hard/impossible/uncomfortable to ride 64km.