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 Jan Evetts on March 17, 2017 at 22:07

What a great series! I'll join London-Paris-London if I can.

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Permalink Reply by Claire Weinert-Aplin on May 9, 2017 at 14:31

Hi Rory

I thought I'd dig out this post to put the dates for future bike packing adventures in my diary (given I can't make the first one) and I noticed that the London-Paris dates clash with the new date for the club race at Sussex. Will a new date be found for the bike packing adventures? It turns out I can't make the second trip either so I'm keen to book in a weekend for Paris before all my weekends get booked up!

Thanks!

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Permalink Reply by Jake Pollard on May 9, 2017 at 17:09

like the others am keen on these if dates align!

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Permalink Reply by Helen Thompson on May 11, 2017 at 19:16

Hi Toby, did you receive your pannier rack in the end? Is it any good? Would be interested in a review :)

Tobias Mittelstaedt said:

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!