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So many holes everywhere! On many gravel bikes, there are threads for three bottle cages, for bags on or under the top tube, on the fork or the seat stays - wherever there is a few centimetres of space, some specialised piece of luggage can be screwed on or lashed down. If you look at catalogue and influencer photos, you can find up to eight individual bags, some with a volume of less than one litre. But is this always practical?
In principle, bikepacking panniers are a step forward; classic pannier racks only fit on a few sports bikes, and traditional panniers are hardly an option for consistently speed-orientated athletes anyway. One argument against them, apart from looks and weight distribution: they slow you down. Alee Dunham, founder of the cycle touring website Cyclingabout.com, has compared the aerodynamics of double panniers with the air resistance of a bikepacking set consisting of a handlebar roller, large saddle bag and frame bag.
To do this, he rode numerous test laps on a cycling track with a constant power output of 200 watts and averaged the speed. With the two panniers on the pannier rack, he travelled at an average speed of a good 28 km/h. With the bikepacking panniers on the handlebars, frame and saddle, it was two kilometres per hour faster. Now, 200 watts is a continuous output for well-trained cyclists, but even with 140 watts of continuous power, the bikepacking set-up still achieved 23.7 to 25.2 km/h.
Cycling travel equipment: three types of trips, three concepts
But what do you do if your luggage is more extensive or the conglomerate of small bags with their straps or screws proves to be impractical? We asked three experienced bike travellers to present their set-up for one typical holiday option each. Variant one is the short trip with the romance of nature, also known as a micro-adventure in the "overnighter" category: A man or woman sets off with minimal luggage, spends the night outdoors and returns the next day. Traveller type two is more likely to spend several days on the road, but prefers the comfort of a hotel to a camping mat. Finally, type three is the big thing, namely an adventure lasting several weeks with a tent, cooker and airy supplies.
All of the concepts that we present below have something in common: none of them use a pannier roll on the front wheel that is simply strapped to the handlebars, as was once a style-defining feature of bikepacking. The three protagonists also keep the number of bags and panniers fitted to a minimum - and none of them want to ride many more kilometres in the saddle with a rucksack.
Trip type 1: The overnighter - cycle touring equipment for an overnight stay outdoors
The concept: Just get out and about. Sleep outside, make a coffee in the morning and head back. The weather is relatively predictable and minimal equipment is sufficient. But the sheer volume of sleeping bag and sleeping mat requires several pieces of luggage.
So-called micro-adventures, i.e. short trips with a certain potential for surprises, became particularly popular during the coronavirus era with its travel restrictions. But even without the pandemic, the idea of a less elaborate break from routine is charming. Bivouacking outside is part of the concept for many micro-adventures. Hauke's extremely clever luggage for the short adventure weighs around five kilos, including camping equipment, food for a day and a change of clothes.
If you do this often, you don't want to transport your equipment in a rucksack, but still want to avoid major assembly work on your sporty bike. Our set-up does this and is suitable for loads of around five to eight kilos. Unlike on a longer trip, the weather on an "overnighter" is easy to calculate, which keeps the effort to a minimum: An inexpensive, barely insulating sleeping mat and a light sleeping bag are all you need. The minimalist cooker and pot would be unsuitable for a full meal - unless you eat freeze-dried food straight from the bag.
The racing handlebars are a challenge during transport. Large rollers would block almost all grip options and collide with cables and frames. The paintwork on the head tube is also at risk. Several manufacturers have therefore devised special holders that hold sleeping bags and second shoes in place, for example. The "Jack the Pack Rack" can be attached in seconds without tools and is therefore a good choice for bikes that only exceptionally carry luggage. Two straps secure it up and down, and you don't want to move more than the permitted five kilos of payload on the handlebars anyway. However, it is just as unsuitable for one-piece aero carbon cockpits as almost all other such solutions.
In bikepacking use, the rather strange bottle cage position in front of the bottom bracket also proves its worth. This is the best place for travelling with heavy tools and spare parts - and it is essential that they are padded and rattle-free.
The protagonist
Hauke Bendt lives in the big city of Munich. The former amateur racing driver is always drawn to sparsely populated areas - even if only for one night. He tends to travel spartanly.
Longer distances with a large rucksack are not an option. - Hauke
Jack the Pack Rack
Solid front carrier for all standard round handlebars; made of stainless steel tubing, weighing 700 grams - and ingeniously designed: It is attached without tools and firmly secured with straps. Maximum payload of 5 kilos.
Price: 90 Euro >> e.g. available here at a reduced price
Primus Essential Trek Pot 0.6
Because a small gas cartridge fits into the tiny 0.6 litre pot, its pack size is hard to beat. Without burner, windscreen and cartridge, the pot costs a hefty 33 euros (>> e.g. available here). Hauke designed the foldable windscreen himself.
Travel type 2: Sporty and comfortable - bags for several days with hotel accommodation
The concept: A sporty multi-day tour where cycling is the main thing. Overnight stays in hotels increase comfort and save on sleeping bags and cookers. On the other hand, civilian clothing, including a second pair of shoes, comes with the bike.
Unlike camping micro-adventures, occasional stops in civilisation for food or shopping are common. At least one piece of luggage with easy access makes life easier on tour. One of the options for enjoying the convenience of a solid handlebar bag without a bolted-on adapter is the Ortlieb Handlebar Pack QR with tool-free quick assembly. It is narrow enough to fit between the grips of a classic racing handlebar.
The second bag in the pack concept hangs in the frame triangle. The choice here is somewhat individual, as a frame bag almost always makes it difficult to access the water bottles. Bottle holders with side access, smaller bottles or even a hydration bladder with a tube can help. In addition, racing and gravel bike frames with their high top tube and narrow foot position run the risk of knees or thighs bumping into each turn of the cranks - which is incredibly annoying in the long run. Some enthusiasts have this piece of luggage customised for their purposes and their touring bike.
The saddlebag has the largest volume in the set-up, often referred to in jargon as the "arse rocket". However, it is not clever to use its maximum packing volume, because the high centre of gravity and the inevitable rocking cost riding fun. What's more, overfilled bags hardly keep their shape. Even a good saddle bag is a piece of luggage that should ideally contain things like a change of clothes and laundry that can remain untouched during the day. Storing your wallet, spare inner tube or lock in the top of the bag is definitely not a good idea.
Carefully assembled luggage for multi-day tours weighs around five to six kilos with the necessary protection against rain and cold as well as a reasonably civilised outfit for hotels and restaurants. The handlebar bag, frame bag and saddle bag in this set-up have a total volume of around 25 litres, the same as a rucksack from the pre-bikepacking era.
The protagonist
After several decades on a racing bike, Jörg Spaniol is increasingly succumbing to the allure of gravel bike tours lasting several days. Last year's highlight: travelling to Croatia by Flixbus and cycling back.
The bike must ride like a piece of sports equipment, not like a lorry. - Jörg
Ortlieb Handlebar-Pack QR
The ingenious mounting system brings eleven litres of conveniently accessible packing volume to the handlebars - without tools, waterproof and vibration-proof.
Price: 155 Euro (>> available here), not approved for carbon handlebars.
Evoc Framepack M
The Evoc bag is relatively narrow, its straps fit snugly and it is a little stiffer than some others, which means it holds its shape reasonably well. With a capacity of 4.5 litres, it makes a significant contribution to the storage space.
Price: 90 Euro >> e.g. available here at a reduced price
Travel mode 3: Long and far - bags for week-long journeys with overnight stays outdoors
The concept: week-long or month-long cycle tours with overnight stays in tents and camping cookers. Sparse infrastructure and changeable weather require equipment suitable for adventure. Depending on the destination, 15 to 20 kilos of equipment can quickly add up.
Dominik's set-up for the extended adventure with tent and cooker looks simple, but the details are very sophisticated and expensive. The centrepiece is the rear rack from the US brand Tailfin. It fits almost every modern bike with thru axles and does not require a frame thread. A special thru-axle with overhang on both sides accommodates two precise aluminium clamps with quick-release fasteners, while the carrier encloses the seat post at the top, also with a quick-release fastener. Its owner uses it enthusiastically on gravel bikes, road bikes and full mountain bikes. The panniers specially made for this carrier do not fit anywhere else, but they also shine with a secure and rattle-free fit.
In contrast to an inevitably overloaded saddle bag and various individual bags, this design is much more practical. Access to the contents of the panniers is unproblematic, even bulky items such as a full-size cooker fit in without any problems. In addition, the handling is comparatively good due to the relatively low centre of gravity and the stable position of the load. Because there is also luggage further forward on the bike, not all of the payload is shifted to the rear wheel. And if you are travelling with fat tyres, a lot of luggage and wide handlebars, you have other things on your mind than the moderate aerodynamics of such panniers anyway.
Above all, the tent travels with you on the handlebars. Conventional handlebar rollers without support can be annoying because they reduce the grip options on the handlebars, are rarely really secure and often have unwanted contact with the head tube and the brake and gear cables. The pannier holder from Salsa fitted here avoids all these problems. Although it adds around 400 grams to the weight of the bike, its function easily compensates for this, according to its user. The fact that the bag holder has to be mounted with two screws is of little concern in this application: a longer bikepacking trip requires a lot of preparation anyway. Five minutes of assembly time is not enough.
The protagonist
Dominik Strian commutes 40 kilometres a day on his bike and rides sports bikes of all kinds in his free time. Various holidays with his bike and tent have made him want to ride the 4500 kilometre route of the Continental Divide race through the Rocky Mountains as soon as possible.
I don't fancy having to tinker with equipment on the road. The luggage mustn't be allowed to slop around while steering. - Dominik
Tailfin carrier
The universal Tailfin carrier for mounting on a special thru-axle costs 295 euros in the aluminium version and a whopping 565 euros with the matching bags. A lighter carbon version (450 euros) is also available.
Salsa EXP Anything Cradle
Two solid aluminium brackets secure the plastic shell without wobbling. It allows all grip positions on the gravel handlebars. Large panniers can also be securely fastened at the front. Not quite cheap (150 euros), but definitely reliable.
This bikepacking equipment has proven its worth
The universe of bikepacking accessories and lightweight outdoor equipment is constantly expanding. It's quite possible that there are now even more sophisticated items than our selection. But they have proven their worth.
Fjällräven Abisko Tarp
Three by three metres is a good size for a versatile bivouac roof that can accommodate one or two people. The high-quality Fjällräven tarp weighs around 500 grams and costs 200 euros >> e.g. available here at a reduced price.
Ortlieb Quickrack light
The Quick-fit luggage carrier from Ortlieb is significantly cheaper than the Tailfin model at 95 euros. However, it requires threaded eyelets at the dropout into which the precisely fitting quick-release mounts are screwed.
Restrap Bumper
Robust fixed point to hold handlebar rollers in place without head tube contact. The 200 gram steel plate (48 euros >> available here) is threaded onto the 1-1/8-inch steerer tube as a 3-millimetre spacer.
Lightweight and practical
Bedroom and kitchen from the long-distance set-up from above.
The compact stowable Electra cooker unit from Optimus (right) weighs around 500 grams without the cartridge. Just under one litre fits into the pot, and the integrated wind protection also qualifies it for rough weather.
Price: 120 Euro >> available here
The Ultra 5R high-end air mattress from Exped (rear) is glued inside with insulating material for year-round use. This means that, unlike normal air mattresses, it insulates well against the cold ground. Depending on size, around 600 grams, from 220 euros >> available here
With a total weight of just over one kilo, the Two-person tent MSR Freelite 2 Only 150 grams heavier than the much narrower single-person version. Very airy mesh inner tent, therefore hardly any protection against the cold.
Price: 590 Euro >> available here at a reduced price
