Gravel bike packing, its all done wrong IMO

[Nigelpa]

Check this out. Man goes bikepacking on kids bike!

https://bikepacking.com/news/bikepacking-mini-adventure-video/

I read that. I like the use of cheaper and more unorthodox bikes.

 

[hamster]

Way back when, some people did the Polaris Challenge on unicycles. They didn't come last.

Generally there may be less-appropriate bikes, but most can be stretched to do the job.

 

[Lacuna]

25kgs including bike, bags and gear is what you want on such trips. Do it one time and you'll understand what bikepacking means.
And you don't need a gravel bike for it either. Gravel bikes are a completely different topic anyway.

That's about 10kg more than what I want to be carrying anywhere but in general, yes.

 

[Guinessisgoodforyou]

That's about 10kg more than what I want to be carrying anywhere but in general, yes.

Can't see how you can be at 15kg? Do you not change clothes? Or cook?, tent, sleeping bag? @KayOs

 

[hamster]

A tour is around 13.5kg for me including tent and cooking gear in the summer, probably 15-16kg in winter.
Tent (2kg ish, depending on weather and duration)
Cycling clothes plus spare set
One other set of clothes (t shirt, longs, underwear, fleece jersey or cycling jacket)
Micro towel, plastic razor, shaving oil, hotel bar of soap, toothbrush, sampler of toothpaste
Sleeping bag, 3/4 length foam karrimat. (winter bag will weigh another kg)
Waterproof jacket (for winter add down jacket plus hat and gloves)
Jetboil (or MSR whisperlite+Trangia Kettle+pan+plastic plate+150ml of Aspen4T)
Mug, Spork, mini bottle of wash up liquid, 1/3 pot scourer.
Usual bike spares/ multitool plus Leatherman (doubles as knife and bottle opener etc for cooking)
Paper maps, phone, passport, wallet
USB cable to fit bike dyno charger

That's about it

 

[Guinessisgoodforyou]

A tour is around 13.5kg for me including tent and cooking gear in the summer, probably 15-16kg in winter.
Tent (2kg ish, depending on weather and duration)
Cycling clothes plus spare set
One other set of clothes (t shirt, longs, underwear, fleece jersey or cycling jacket)
Micro towel, plastic razor, shaving oil, hotel bar of soap, toothbrush, sampler of toothpaste
Sleeping bag, 3/4 length foam karrimat. (winter bag will weigh another kg)
Waterproof jacket (for winter add down jacket plus hat and gloves)
Jetboil (or MSR whisperlite+Trangia Kettle+pan+plastic plate+150ml of Aspen4T)
Mug, Spork, mini bottle of wash up liquid, 1/3 pot scourer.
Usual bike spares/ multitool plus Leatherman (doubles as knife and bottle opener etc for cooking)
Paper maps, phone, passport, wallet
USB cable to fit bike dyno charger

That's about it

That then will be about 25kg including bike? Kays figure of 25kg included the bike, which was why I was surprised at Lacunas comment being 10kg more.

 

[rwm1962]

A tour is around 13.5kg for me including tent and cooking gear in the summer, probably 15-16kg in winter.
Tent (2kg ish, depending on weather and duration)
Cycling clothes plus spare set
One other set of clothes (t shirt, longs, underwear, fleece jersey or cycling jacket)
Micro towel, plastic razor, shaving oil, hotel bar of soap, toothbrush, sampler of toothpaste
Sleeping bag, 3/4 length foam karrimat. (winter bag will weigh another kg)
Waterproof jacket (for winter add down jacket plus hat and gloves)
Jetboil (or MSR whisperlite+Trangia Kettle+pan+plastic plate+150ml of Aspen4T)
Mug, Spork, mini bottle of wash up liquid, 1/3 pot scourer.
Usual bike spares/ multitool plus Leatherman (doubles as knife and bottle opener etc for cooking)
Paper maps, phone, passport, wallet
USB cable to fit bike dyno charger

That's about it

Way to go @hamster! Another Karrimat (well the modern incarnation from Multimat) user here. Used them all year round including tours in Norway on snow every night. According to the disciples of the outdoor vloggeratti we should be dying of exposure due to their appallingly low 'R' value or some such bollox. A week in the Cairngorms last year & I did experience a sore hip for the first time using my mat but I am 61 & now have a lightweight blow up sit mat to put under the mat & my hip which is working a treat.

 

[Guinessisgoodforyou]

Way to go @hamster! Another Karrimat (well the modern incarnation from Multimat) user here. Used them all year round including tours in Norway on snow every night. According to the disciples of the outdoor vloggeratti we should be dying of exposure due to their appallingly low 'R' value or some such bollox. A week in the Cairngorms last year & I did experience a sore hip for the first time using my mat but I am 61 & now have a lightweight blow up sit mat to put under the mat & my hip which is working a treat.

View attachment 744239

What is the reasoning behind a 3/4 sleep mat?

 

[rwm1962]

I use full length as its only 145g but if using 3/4 length you can always substitute with other gear underneath legs.

 

[KayOs]

Can't see how you can be at 15kg? Do you not change clothes? Or cook?, tent, sleeping bag? @KayOs

The bikes I have ridden so far weigh between 10.6kg and 13.3kg. The tent I have weighs 2.7kg. The panniers together weigh 1.3kg.
A second set of clothes weighs 1kg, sleeping bag 700g, sleeping pad 585g, cooker 85g and cartridge 230g, cooking utensils 400g, wash kit 120g, towel 220g, water bottles 200g, flip flops 475g, tools and spares 550g, medipack 125g, sunglasses 150g with case, warm jacket 450g, rain cover 280g, powerbank 200g.

All together between 20.5kg and 23.1kg. Add to that a bit of odds and ends, food and fluctuations in clothing and I end up with about 25kg.

So far, I haven't needed more than that on such trips.