• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • Shop
    • Accessories
    • Men’s & Unisex Fit
    • Women’s Fit
    • Featured
    • Latest
    • Cart
  • Calendar
  • Gear
  • Destinations
  • Archive
  • Forum
  • Members
    • Register
    • Login
    • Logout
  • Cart

Northwest in Motion

Inspiring, informing, and connecting cyclists, runners, hikers, and skiers

Home » Bikepacking » Bikepacking is…

Bikepacking is…

July 7, 2019 by David Longdon Leave a Comment

Until recently I had the mistaken idea that “bikepacking” was a strictly non-competitive activity that combined bikes and camping, and synonymous with the “bicycle touring” and “adventure cycling” genres. Whatever you call it–bikepacking, bicycle touring, or adventure cycling–have all been around as long as bicycles have existed, and long before paved roads.

To add to my confusion, it turns out there is a competitive variation of “bikepacking” that I previously thought was called “self-supported bike racing.”

Which sounds similar to randonneuring. The Seattle International Randonneurs are all about “self-supported long-distance cycling,” yet their events include control stations (time checkpoints) where participants can usually get (support?) food and a place to sleep. And since randonneuring includes time cutoffs, there is a competitive incentive, yet they emphasize they are not “racing.”

Non-randonneuring events like the Trans Am Bike Race and the Transcontinental Race are arguably more “self-supported” than randonneuring.

Meanwhile, bikepacking.com says bikepacking requires a mountain bike: “Bikepacking is the synthesis of mountain biking and minimalist camping; it evokes the freedom of multi-day backcountry hiking, with the range and thrill of riding a mountain bike. There are three bikepacking genres to choose from – Multi-day Mountain Biking, Ultralight Race & Gravel, and Expedition & Dirt Touring.”

Yet, there are folks bikepacking on gravel and cyclocross bikes.

bikepacking.net says: “Short answer: it’s backpacking with a bike. Longer answer: any ride that includes an overnight stay. This could be anything from ultralight singletrack tours to fully loaded dirt road touring (e.g. on the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route)…off-road touring, away from cars, and especially on singletrack touring. But the concepts and gear transfer equally well to all types of rides that stretch overnight.”

iridefar says they cover “self-supported bikepacking, long-distance cycling, and ultra-distance cycling (aka ultracycling.)”

The vocabulary about these cycling sub-disciplines is most certainly a confusing mélange of overlapping themes.

How does this working definition for “bikepacking” sound to you:

1. it requires a bike,
2. an overnight stay, and
3. a bias for routes on dirt and gravel

Add official timing and it’s a bikepacking race.

Related

Support Small & Local Businesses: Shop Northwest in Motion

We source directly from small and family-owned businesses in Italy and Europe.

This enables us to sell unique, high-quality fitness attire at reasonable prices.

Get updates about the freshest additions to our inventory: Subscribe, or follow us on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.

Filed Under: Bikepacking

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Inspired | Informed | Connected

We’re here to inspire, inform, and connect you with like-minded cyclists, runners, and fitness enthusiasts.

Running in the rainNorthwest in Motion was created by David Longdon, and is produced with a cadre of creative collaborators.

Bellevue pop up Italian Home & Kitchen
Francesca Carmichael manages our retail experiences.

Gear Wisdom

About our Brands
Merino Wool Works in the PNW
Road Rash Wound Care
How to Layer for the Pacific Northwest
Gearing up for a Bikepacking Epic
Women Gear Up for Bikepacking
Gearing Up for Bikepacking
How to Choose Cycling Shorts
Swiftwick Merino Wool @ Bridle Trails
How to Wash your Kit

Bicycle Helmet Safety Ratings
Hi Vis Helmet Hack

The n + 1: Platypus Tokul XC 8.0 & B-Line 8.0
The n + 1: Oakley Flak 2.0 XL w/ Day & Night Contrast Lenses
The n + 1: Roka Eyewear
The n + 1: Sensity Photochromic Lenses
The n + 1: Bialetti Moka Express

More Gear Reviews & Tips

Connect

Login or Register to comment and participate in the Forum.

Subscribe to our email Newsletter to get content and inventory updates.

Search

Follow

Share

Footer

About
Contact

Partner
Advertise
Subscribe

Returns and Shipping Policy
Terms of Use
Privacy

Copyright © 2022 · Magazine Pro on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in