Bikepacking adventures - You in?

What is Bikepacking?

Bikepacking is simply camping by bike.

Unbelievably there is more to cycling than just smashing out a high avg speed or punishing yourself by going up Chalk Pit. This is something more leisurely, taking the time to enjoy the scenery, have a pint at lunch and do multi day bike ride without over extending yourself.

I am offering to arrange, guide and lead a couple of expeditions into this adventure. My own experiences tended to be at the end of a 250km day and include hedges and fire escapes...this will be new for me as much as it is for you.

UK // Kent Coast

The initial, lets test the water together . Leave Friday afternoon (or Saturday Morning), return Sunday evening. Average 70 miles per day out to the Kent Coast for some fresh air, fresh fish and plenty of beer. Carrying what you need, depending on how you feel we could even wild camp it.

Date - TBC - April / May - 2 days

Miles - 140

UK // Dunwich

A little more of a stretch but still a good manageable chuck of cycling over flat terrain. Head out at dawn, the target Dunwich beach in Suffolk is 120 miles away. This route is usually seen by night but we'll experience the Essex and Suffolk countryside in glorious sunshine. Once we've consumed dinner and had a pint we'll find somewhere under the stars to sleep. The dawn sunrise is the best way to get up and then head to London.

Date - Early July - 2 days

Miles - 240 (ish)

London // Paris // London

Like the above but even longer. It's a pleasant 60 miles to Newhaven where we'll take the overnight ferry to Dieppe (£30 for a return) arriving at 5am. The smell of the bakeries will fill the air as we cycle through French villages on our way to the capital, a surprisingly 100 odd miles away. We'll spend the night in the capital before making our way to the coast (route to be determined and ferry schedules permitting) and boarding a ferry back.

Date - End of August (3 to 4 days)

Miles - 300+

If the idea of having an adventure by bike sounds appealing to you let me know by popping your name below with the comment YES, I WANT TO COME!

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Tony on March 7, 2017 at 17:12

Nice one Rory -

am quite happy to go over the route we took to Paris if it helps.

The other person worth talking to is Pete at Rat Race Cycles in Nunhead - he has led dozens of rides over to Paris in his time and provided mechanical support (he's also got a bit of a fascination with that bike ride to Turkey)

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Permalink Reply by Liz Curwen on March 7, 2017 at 23:17

Keen on the UK trips. Will be in France camping avec l'enfant for the Paris one though.

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Permalink Reply by Erika Kennington on March 8, 2017 at 7:18

I'm in too!

Also up for another stab at the London2Paris 24hr - only managed 25hrs last time after getting hopelessly lost in the Parisian suburbs! Would be keen to do the day before the TdF end stage again so Fri 21st - Sat 22nd July.

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Permalink Reply by Suzannah on March 8, 2017 at 12:26

Definitely up for this, and the Paris one.

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Permalink Reply by Tobias Mittelstaedt on March 8, 2017 at 13:45

Good one Rory!!! I'm in all of those and the 24h Paris challenge after I couldn't do it last time I planned it due to illness :(

Only the Suffolk one is at the Tour de France Start weekend which happens in my hometown in Germany so I might not be in the UK for that (even though cycling myself usually trumps watching other people cycling so I wouldn't rule this out yet...)

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Permalink Reply by Tobias Mittelstaedt on March 8, 2017 at 14:03

For people looking at a comfortable and lightweight (unfortunately not budget but when do these three go in hand...?) option to stow away stuff on your bike I have supported this neat pannier solution on Kickstarter and await delivery any week now... It is a carbon clip on rack system with ultra light waterproof panniers, other brand's bags can be fitted too if you only want the rack. If you compare with other big brands on the market it is actually very affordable (Ortlieb is probably even more expensive), longevity still needs to be proven of course.

I will report and maybe even show off once it arrives!

On the other hand there are clearly much cheaper options for sure. I would just like to caution people to put anything underneath their top tube on a long ride without checking beforehand if their knees play along with it. I had my very thin sleeping mat rolled up stripped to the top tube on a ride through Germany once and had to discontinue the ride after three days because my knees had developed unbearable pain due to the unfamiliar (and for my knees damaging) riding position, leading to a three month cycling break while they were healing again... Not worth saving some bucks on a proper packing solution that attaches to your handlebars/saddle/seat post/front or rear panniers!