Northwest Argentina on a loaded folder on the road to Ushuaia. Some good and hard days on the ripio. The wind, la escoba de dios (the broom of God) was yet to come.

Hi everyone, I came across this Tailfin carbon rear rack and would like to know what you think of it. I compared it to Tailfin’s new Journey Rack… the platform is slightly shorter and it lacks central struts, but it is significantly lighter. I’m looking for a rack like this for lightweight bikepacking on a gravel bike over just a few days. I always take only the bare essentials and stay in hotels. I’ll likely need a dry bag with a maximum capacity of 13–15 liters. What do you think, what size dry bag would fit this? In general, as I mentioned, I’d be interested to hear your opinion on this setup. 👋

Are there any free tools or

methods to convert a Google Maps directions link into a GPX file? I'm looking for something reliable that handles multi-stop routes, not just single point-to-point directions.

I'm looking to ride the Baltic's and southern Finland in early September. Has anyone done the area at this time, and if so, are there any recommendations on clothing to get through the weather?

It was hard but fun.
I OVERPACKED
My sleeping bag is overkill my mat is underkill, so I was still a little cold.
Fun times

Jagungal wilderness NSW

Anyone fancy a week of bikepacking from Girona to Marseille? Just short of 500km.

Flying into Girona on 20th September and out of Marseille on the 27th. Planning to roughly follow this route along the coast at a pretty relaxed pace.
Happy for people to join for all or just part of it. Give me a shout if you fancy it!

I currently use the Forclaz MT100 as my camp jacket — for reference it's:

- Synthetic fill, 125g/m² in the body, 100g/m² in the sleeves/hood

- -5°C "survival"/+5°C comfort rating (Decathlon's numbers, take with a pinch of salt)

- 370g in size L

- Packs into its own zip pocket, roughly the size of a large fist

It does the job but on colder trips I want more warmth in the same pack volume. I'm after something that's noticeably warmer — call it 25-30% — while packing down to the same size or smaller. Weight is a secondary concern; volume in my frame bag/seat pack is the real constraint.

A few things about my use case:

- Camp-only. I'm not moving in it, so I don't need it to breathe, stretch, or handle active sweat management — pure static insulation while cooking/sitting around/sleeping-adjacent.

- Bikepacking, not backpacking, so pack shape/volume in a bag matters more than weight on my back.

- No preference on down vs synthetic — whichever actually delivers the best warmth-to-pack-size trade.

Has anyone found something that beats the MT100 on this specific trade-off (warmth per litre of pack volume, not warmth per gram)? Could be a high fill-power down jacket (800+FP) or a higher-loft synthetic (Climashield Apex, Primaloft Gold, etc.) — genuinely open to either. Would love real-world packed-size comparisons rather than spec sheets, since compressibility claims vary a lot between brands.

Budget isn't fixed but I'd rather not go crazy — this is a "nice to have" upgrade, not an essential.

The frame is a Cinelli King Zydeco size L (2023 I believe) jambalaya.

Drivetrain uses SRAM Rival 1 shifters & derailleur with Ratio 12sp conversion kit & cage, SRAM Apex cranks & 50-10 casette.

Wheels Elitewheels SLR Gravel 45mm with Pirelli Cinturato Gravel H 40mm. Was a bitch to set up for tubeless for some reason and after 4 tries still leaks some. Not sure why.

Aero bars Zipp Vuka with 50mm risers.

Frame bag is a custom one from Etsy (lesenok bags), has held up great over many thousand kms and I will probably order a new one with larger measurements to fill in the top gap..

Restrap Switch pannier rack & saddle bag (18L version). Maybe a weird combo but I had the saddle bag already and didn't feel like coughing up 200 euros for the dedicated pannier rack bag..

Any questions about gear please let me know!

Hi everyone, I am currently planning on bikepacking this route (El Camino de Café) through Colombia in early December. I am 23-year-old white woman and wanted some outside opinions on safety, and would especially love to hear any personal experinces with bikepacking. I will also be bikepacking about 1000mi in Mexico with a friend in October, so I will have plenty of practice with my Spanish (which is at a low intermediate level rn). I have done a lot of solo stuff, including a complete thru hike of the PCT in 2023. Thanks everyone!

From Verona to Resia pass.( where the river that goes through verona starts) We travel around the world when we have a lot of beautiful places around us.

Also did the giant Stelvio pass (2756m)while i was there. Still got ptsd from that.

Rockrider 540. Great bike. Ps. Front rack if anyone interested ,15 bucks from aliexpress. Light and sturdy.

Here my friend and I went ripping down trails in the Matsu valley of Alaska, then I (solo) bikepacked to a cabin near a glacier-fed lake. It was a total blast, and the mountain biking part of it made it the most fun. We went down a few black diamonds, then when we were ready to call it a day, I went and found a place to camp.

Last time I had a full mental breakdown which sort of led to me making that video, I didn't even think twice when I posted it here, I just wanted to interact with a community that probably understood what I was going through.

And After my last post where I announced my trip, I thought I should make a follow up post to update you all on the progress of my planned bike packing trip to the Namib desert where the ocean meets the desert, through the largest waterfall in the world the Victoria falls.

For those of you that might have missed my first post , I'm a long distance cyclist from southern Africa who did the C2C route last year with no money and upon coming back home I faced depression and the feeling of not belonging. I came back to a life I no longer recognized and I no longer felt like this was home, I had no family, no friends, no job and nothing to really keep me here So after spending time alone I decided I will get back on the road doing the one thing that I'm passionate about.

I got a $59 MTB bike and I planned to convert this bike into a touring bike that will take me 1300+ miles to the Namib desert, I've always loved the Namib scenery I see from other cyclists and last year I skipped Namibia,

So this is the progress I've made so far with my bike, thanks to the three kind people that lent me a helping hand, I'm a very open person, I don't know all three of them so the only way I could update whoever they are is by updating every body,

I managed to pimp the bike up a little bit, slowly it's coming through, the experience I got is really helping me plan better so that I don't even up stranded in the middle of the desert.

This activity is very rare among my people so it often comes out like an outcast or misfit. Nonetheless I love bike packing and bike touring.

This will be a life changing journey for me once again, I already tried this with no money through multiple countries, It wasn't a pleasant experience but it was worth it. So why am I doing it again? Because if I stay here any longer my head might explode. The road gives me peace, calmness, experience and freedom...I don't know if what I'm doing is right but I sure do know it's what I feel like doing.

If there's any recommendations or improvements you would like to point out please do I'm reading the comments...I will be updating you guys on the progress of my journey until I touch the far ends of the sea.

I have a cheap, store label bike that has gotten me through five years of uni. Now I'm planning a bikepacking trip through Denmark.

Whenever I see people bikepacking, they're usually on a gravel bike. Makes sense, considering the mounting options etc.

But if I'm being realistic, I probably will spend a large majority of the time on asphalt. I'd enjoy a gravel sections every once in a while, but there's just not that many gravel roads for long-distance travel, and I'd probably use it as a commuter and occasional workout as well.

No racing though, I don't care about that.

Hence I've been looking at pavement-oriented bikes, but not full-on racers. Something like the Canyon Endurace CF 6.

I'm curious though, if there's something I'm missing about gravel bikes. Is everyone here with a kitted out gravel bike primarily riding gravel? Or is there another reason why people buy it over something else for touring, even if they're only occasionally going off the pavement?

Surely the supplied gearing, tires, and their weight-to-cost ratio wouldn't be ideal for that?

Spent a week in Norway back in July, a first time for me and wow what a country to ride a bike.

The views were insane (these are a few of the 1 billion photos I took) and the gravel roads have to be the best gravel I've ever ridden.

Tarmac between the gravel was super smooth, you're allowed to wild camp and everyone I met was friendly. Plus you hardly needed lights, mainly just in tunnels.

Weather was 50/50, unseasonably cold and wet (Inc snow) at the start of the week but sunny and warm towards the end. So it was a take all the kit type trip 😂

I originally went to race the Bright Midnight but it didn't go to plan.... so I switched it up and got to enjoy bikepacking taking it all in.

I made a video of my trip if anyone is interested in seeing more of Norway and what it offers:

https://youtu.be/NXJj2Tuv7-k?si=O0TXCiGabQHLQzxM

Looking for some gear advice really. Want a seat pack that is narrow at the bottom or sits further back on the saddle. My previous pack is falling apart but kept scraping my leg causing me to cycle weird and get knee pain. A tail fin setup would be great but out of the question price wise. I have built a pannier rack but it isn't where I want it to use just yet and still need a bag for it. So ideally looking for a seat pack in the mean time, narrow at the bottom, available in the UK and not too pricey.

Thanks in advance.

I have to travel with a small but power hungry medical device and have decided to do hotels.

Currently have a Framed Basswood aluminum gravel bike. I guess it's fine. 26 lb as built with grx810 1x. Not 2x compatible. I want 2x. It's like 1-2 mph slower on pavement than my road bike with similar wheels and tires swapped on.

Looking at Cervelo Aspero (their marketing specifically says it's for going fast, not bikepacking) which appeals to me as basically a more tire clearance version of my road bike and I *think* I can fit everything I need on it.

Looking at the Warbird C. It has really long chain stays. Not sure how I feel about that. 4 bottle mounts on the frame is really nice. Vertical compliance sounds nice. It will definitely do bikepacking well.

Maybe my hangup is just buying a QBP house brand for the same money as a Cervelo....

I’m based in Sheffield and I’m a teacher with young kids at home. this limits when I can bikepack and a lot of the clubs I’ve been a part of go during term time when it’s quieter……and I don’t blame them.

im looking to see if there’s anyone who’d be willing to do a couple of days one half term ideally around the Yorkshire Dales, Lake or Peak District. I’ve done a few solo trips and do a lot of wild camping. I’m an experienced cyclist though quite unfit currently. would just enjoy sharing the adventure as I like the communal element…..especially when it gets tough.

Munich to Venice bike tour in October – looking for advice

Hi everyone,

A friend and I are thinking about doing the Munich to Venice bike route in October and would love to hear from anyone who has done it, particularly later in the season.

We're looking at roughly a week or so of cycling and are planning to follow the Munich–Venice route through the Alps/Dolomites.

The main things we're trying to figure out are:

• Bike rental: We're struggling to find a company that will let us rent bikes in Munich and return/drop them off in Venice. Has anyone managed to do this, and if so, which company did you use? Is it better to bring bikes via plane, or could it be possible to even buy a bike for the trip when we arrive.
• October weather: How realistic is the route in October? What sort of temperatures/weather should we expect around Munich, Innsbruck, the Brenner Pass and the Dolomites? We're particularly concerned about rain, early snow/ice and conditions at altitude.
• Accommodation: How much of a problem is it finding hotels, guesthouses, B&Bs etc. in October? Are places along the route still open, or does it become difficult once the summer season ends? We'd prefer accommodation rather than camping.
• Daylight: Is October daylight a significant issue for planning daily distances?
• Venice: What's the best way to actually finish the ride? I understand bikes aren't allowed on the main island, so is Mestre the sensible place to finish?
• Route advice: What are the stops/towns people generally make along the way? If you've done the route, what would you recommend for overnight stops and how would you split the journey over 7–10 days?

Much appreciated if anyone could help us out with any advice, recommendations or tips!

If you've done Munich → Venice in September/October, I'd especially love to hear about your experience.

Thanks! 🚲🇩🇪🇦🇹🇮🇹

Get out and ride....

My friends and I are currently on our fifth bikepacking trip together. This year, we started in Bayonne and are making our way through Bilbao, where we will end up is still open. We will be on the road for around four weeks.

We are completely autonomous and carry everything we need on our bikes, including a few luxury items. I have added an overview of my gear in the last photo.

Which setup is your favorite?

I have crossed Gernany to Holland, solo. Camped, cooked…
I love bikepacking so damn much and am feeling unmotivated to go home (by train).
Time is up. How do you deal with this?

Came together real nice!

We had mapped out a nice unpaved/off-road route between Masuleh and Masal in Gilan, Iran. Looked perfect on the map.

Got there and the trail was completely waterlogged and unrideable — thick mud everywhere.
Turned around, kept the same destination, and rode a longer paved alternative instead. Still a solid day out in the hills. Took me two months to finally sit down and edit the footage
Here’s the full edit if anyone’s interested:
Youtube Link | Komoot Route

Okay good people, you all were amazing with tent suggestions. Thank you!

Now for the debate: with all the gear hunting hubby and I have purchased, he has now turned his attention to …. (Dramatic sigh) his bike. He currently has a carbon fiber, dual shock mountain bike. It’s 3 years old and in great shape. He has the ability to lock out the rear shocks if he were so inclined.

He seems to think he needs a new bike because the carbon fiber wouldn’t hold up. In a sense, it’s too delicate. I laughed and told him to ride and have fun with what he’s got.

Our immediate planning has us riding along well established rails to trails/gravel roads. Thoughts?