Originally Posted by
BigAura
More and more I see that "ultralight" means lots of rigging with straps and stabilizers to achieve proper attachment. While this makes sense for off-road bike-packing it seems somewhat burdensome for road touring. That said, I'm all for minimalism and shedding whatever we can to simplify touring.
Using stuff sacks will save a couple of pounds over more conventional bags, but at the cost of lots of straps and some inconvenience. Specialist bikepacking bags get around some of those issues, but people then proceed to stick bags all over their bikes which costs a lot and increases weight again. I find a single large saddlebag and a handlebar bag to be the most convenient for riding and getting around using buses and trains.
