Everything you need to know for a successful first bikepacking trip.

If you enjoy cycling, being in nature, and camping or backpacking, chances are you’ll love bikepacking.

Bikepacking is a mix of cycling and backpacking, as the name suggests. It often involves riding a variety of roads and narrow trails across multiple days. Riders carry essential gear, like food, cooking utensils, and tools, and venture into the unknown.

You can camp, stay in hostels, or hotels — the choice is up to you. Many bikepacking cyclists choose to camp.

Some bikepackers participate in events that span hundreds of miles, or even thousands, requiring precise planning and preparation to complete.

The remainder of this article explains more about bikepacking, including what it is, how to choose the right bike (mountain bikes vs. gravel bikes), and more.

What you will learn:

  • What is bikepacking, and how to plan your first bikepacking trip

  • How to choose the right bikepacking bike

  • What gear to bring with you on your bikepacking adventures

  • A few tips to ensure bikepacking success

What is bikepacking?

Bikepacking is a mix of cycling and backpacking.

Riders carry and pack their gear, like tents, food, and cooking equipment, on their bikes using lightweight bags.

Often, many bikepackers choose to do multi-day trips, riding for more than one day and sometimes multiple days or even weeks. 

Take Bright Midnight, for example: a 1,100 km self-supported bikepacking race in Norway. Riders take anywhere from 3 to 5 days to complete the event and must carry their own gear, including food, clothing, safety equipment, and a sleeping bag.

Not all bikepacking involves a race or event, either. Bikepacking can be done for fun, with a focus on adventure and exploring, either alone or with a group of riders.

What is the point of bikepacking?

The answer you get will depend on who you ask.

However, the point of bikepacking for most is the sense of adventure. It’s an opportunity to explore new places, whether venturing into the wilderness and riding dirt roads and trails or tackling a multi-day event riding the best roads Switzerland has to offer.

Many riders appreciate the self-sufficiency of bikepacking. They also enjoy the independence and minimalist approach to riding. It’s just you, your bike, your kit, and a sense of adventure.

For others, especially those taking part in multi-day bikepacking events, it’s an opportunity to test their limits. Bikepacking can be very physically and mentally demanding.

Where to go bikepacking

There is no correct route to go bikepacking — that’s the beauty of it.

You can ride as much or as little as you like, whether tackling the popular North Coast 500 in Scotland or planning a solo trip cycling around the Lake District, stopping at popular landmarks and setting up camp for the night.

Bikepacking allows you to explore, take in new scenery, push yourself to your limits, and connect with nature. 

How to plan a bikepacking route 

There are lots of ways to plan a bikepacking route.

You can use apps like Komoot to plan a route. It also shows popular routes in your area, which you can send directly to your bike computer or phone to follow on the go.

Alternatively, if you don’t want to plan a route, you can join events where a pre-planned route is created. All riders follow the same route, sometimes at the same time, and occasionally staggered.

You can also search for popular bikepacking routes online. And if you have access to a car or public transportation, you can start your route from a different location, such as the Scottish Highlands, if you'd like.

If you’re just starting out, it can be useful to plan a shorter route before diving into much longer, ultra-endurance multi-day bikepacking events, like Bright Midnight.

What is the difference between bikepacking and bike touring?

Bikepacking typically involves lightweight, minimalist gear attached to the bike's frame. It also includes a variety of terrain, including singletrack trails, dirt roads, beaches, and everything in between.

Bicycle touring, on the other hand, usually includes paved roads with the occasional stretch of dirt and gravel.

Gear is typically strapped to the front and back of the bike, as well as the frame, as more gear is often carried when cycle touring. Touring bikes are designed to carry heavier loads and provide more comfort and carrying capacity over longer distances.

The best bikes for bikepacking

Virtually any bike can be used for backpacking. But some are more suitable than others for bikepacking cyclists.

Gravel bikes and hardtail mountain bikes are usually the two most popular options for bikepacking.

These have a much wider tyre clearance than road bikes, and they are typically more comfortable, have more mounting points to the bicycle frame, and are more suitable for rural and off-road riding.

Attach your kit to your road bike and try riding a gravel road, and you’ll see exactly what I mean. Instead, choose something more comfortable and stable, like a mountain bike or a gravel bike.

Bikepacking setups 

Your bikepacking setup will depend on your bike, the length of your trip, and how much gear you need to carry. 

Most riders use a mix of bikepacking bags that attach directly to their bike and bike frame — no racks required. 

The most common bags include handlebar bags, like a roll, a seat pack, a frame bag, and a top tube bag. These keep your load compact, balanced, and ideal for off-road riding.

If you're just getting started, you don't need a full set of bikepacking bags right away. Start with a few basic bags and adjust your setup as you figure out what works best for your style of riding.

Bikepacking gear list for beginners 

What you pack will depend on how far you intend to ride and how many days you plan to bikepack.

If you decide to stay in hotels or hostels, then you won’t need to bring as many bikepacking bags and gear, like your own shelter, such as a tent.

Here’s a basic backpacking gear list for beginners:

Category Item
Bike Gravel, hardtail mountain bike, or touring bike with a lower gear ratio
Clothing Off-bike clothes, extra socks, bib shorts, jerseys
Sleeping Sleeping bag, tent or bivy
Bike Bags Frame and top tube bags
Safety Gear Helmet, front and rear lights (plus charger and spare set)
Hydration Bottle cages, water system or hydration bladder
First Aid Basic kit: plasters, antiseptic wipes, ibuprofen
Toiletries Toothbrush, toothpaste, etc.
Electronics Power bank, phone and charger, head unit (e.g., Wahoo, Garmin) + charger
Weather Protection Rain jacket and warm layers
Tools & Spares Multi-tool with chain breaker, spare inner tubes (2–3), tire levers, mini pump, CO2 inflator + cartridges, chain lube

    How to pack your gear

    Packing efficiently is key to a successful bikepacking trip. With limited space on your bike and the need to balance weight for stable handling, it’s essential to bring only the essentials and distribute your gear wisely.

    Most bikepackers use a combination of bags designed to fit snugly on the frame, handlebars, seatpost, and top tube. This setup keeps your centre of gravity low and avoids the need for bulky panniers.

    Here’s a simple way to think about what goes where:

    • Handlebar bag: Ideal for lightweight but bulky items like a sleeping bag or sleeping pad.

    • Seat pack: Great for clothes, sleeping gear, or anything you won’t need until camp.

    • Frame bag: Use this for heavier items like tools, cooking gear, food and snacks, or water — anything you’ll need to use often.

    • Top tube bag: Store snacks, phone, or a multi-tool for quick access while riding.

    • Fork bags (optional): These can carry water bottles, cooking gear, or spare layers like a rain jacket.

    Try to keep your total load as light as possible, but also balanced well. Focus on multi-use items and leave behind anything that isn’t essential for your route, comfort, or safety.

    Do a few short test rides with your setup before your trip. This helps you get used to the bike's handling and gives you time to make any necessary adjustments.

    A few tips for successful bike packing 

    To help you set yourself up for your first successful bikepacking adventure, I’ve provided four must-know tips below.

    Learn basic bike maintenance skills 

    If you’re going to venture out solo or with a small group of friends, it’s essential to know basic bike maintenance skills.

    At the very minimum, I’d suggest knowing how to:

    • Change a flat tyre and fix a puncture

    • Adjust your brakes

    • Remove your chain (and put it back on)

    • Adjust your derailleur (this is useful when your gears aren’t shifting properly)

    • Lubricate your chain 

    It’s a good idea to know where local bike shops are on the route as well. If something goes wrong, you can rely on a mechanic to fix the issue or point you in the right direction.

    Pack light, but don’t skip the essentials 

    The more bikepacking you do, the better you’ll get at knowing what to pack and what to leave at home.

    At the beginning, you’ll likely overpack. And that’s okay!

    But do your best to pack light without skipping the essentials.

    Carrying too much gear will only make it more difficult, so do your best to reduce how much you need to pack.

    Do a short test ride 

    It’s a good idea to do a short test ride with all of your gear.

    This will give you a chance to see how your bike performs and what it feels like to carry extra equipment when riding.

    It will also help you decide if you can leave certain pieces of kit at home, saving you space and reducing your load.

    For a short test ride, I would recommend at least 2 hours.

    You want to see how you feel after riding with gear for long periods.

    Eat, eat, eat 

    When bikepacking, you need to continuously eat.

    You need calories, especially carbohydrates, to give you energy for riding. If you don’t eat enough, you increase your risk of bonking — this is when you run out of energy and struggle to continue. 

    As a general rule of thumb, aim to eat a minimum of 30g of carbohydrates per hour.

    Ideally, you want to consume upwards of 60-90g, but if that’s a struggle, just make sure to eat something.

    It’s a good idea to pack a variety of foods and snacks to avoid flavour fatigue. Energy bars and energy gels are convenient options to boost your energy. But you also want to eat whole foods, like pasta, crackers, trail mix, noodles, tortillas, oatmeal, and granola.

    You will need to eat more than you think. 

    It’s a good idea to eat little and often when riding. And for your evening meal, do your best to get a good source of quality protein and plenty of carbohydrates to help improve recovery. You’ll feel better the next day.

    Key takeaways

    • Bikepacking is a mix of cycling and bikepacking, usually involving multi-day cycling

    • Use a gravel or mountain bike for the most comfort — it also makes attaching gear easier to the bike frame and provides better weight distribution compared to a road bike

    • Use handlebar bags, panniers, frame bags, seat packs, and fork packs to safely attach your gear to your bike 

    • Pack only the essentials to save weight, increase comfort, and make your ride easier — lightweight gear is your friend. 

    • You can go bikepacking wherever you want, whether off-road in the Lakes, exploring narrow roads and the beaten track or signing up for a bikepacking event like Bright Midnight 

    • Do a short bikepacking test ride before riding long distances over multiple days

    • Plan your nutrition and eat little and often to fuel your bikepacking ride

    FAQs

    What is the meaning of bikepacking?

    Bikepacking combines cycling and backpacking, usually involving multi-day trips on and off-road, with riders carrying gear on their bikes. For many riders, it’s a chance to explore while being self-sufficient.

    How many hours per day is bikepacking?

    There is no wrong or right answer. How many days you choose to ride per day when bikepacking is up to you. However, most riders will spend anywhere from 4-8 hours riding per day or between 40-50 miles.

    Is it illegal to cycle on a path in the UK? 

    Yes. Cyclists must not cycle on pavements, but they can use cycle paths.