Originally Posted by
TimothyH
I'm interested in hearing about technique in general from experienced bikepackers.
My specific interest is efficient setup in the evening and teardown in the morning. One challenge has been too much time spent packing up in the morning with a myriad of stuff sacks, dirty tent stakes, filtering water for the day and where did that darn bag with toothbrush go?
Obvious things like not putting items needed first all the way at the bottom of a saddle bag are learned early. I've also learned to pack the tent, rain fly and footprint into the stuff sack oriented so that the end to be staked out first is deployed first.
The first thing to remember is that bikepacking is a bit different from 4 bag touring set ups. You don’t have the same room nor is the configuration of the bags all that conducive to the same kind of efficient compartmentalizations as 4 bag toiuring is. Sometimes you have to put stuff in places where you don’t really want to to go because it just fits there and no where else. For example, I’d love for my cooking stuff to fit in one place. Unfortunately, the fuel canister, cup, stove head, and tea pot don’t fit in the same bag. And, since those are the heavier items I carry, I want them as low as possible. The result is that some of the stuff goes in the bottom of the saddle bag under clothes and some of it goes in the triangle bag. It’s not convenient but it’s the best I can do given the limitations of the equipment.
The order I use with the tent is to roll the foot print, tent, fly and then the poles from the end away from the door. I don’t worry about staking it done immediately as the tent is freestanding and I may want to move it before deciding the final location. I generally set up the tent and my sleeping arrangements before anything else.
What else? Cooking efficiently? Filtration - as soon as you arrive or later? Drying out clothes? Packing saddle and bar bags when there is no place to lean the bike - remove the bags from the bike?
I get water according to my need. If I’m out of water when I get to camp, I may get it first but I usually wait for that later. When bikepacking, especially far from “civilization”, I do freeze dry. It’s not the best but it beats carrying a bunch water in food around and clean up is easier. Freeze dry is pretty bad but some are better than others. Chili Mac from Backpacker Pantry is my favorite. Anything elaborate like Thai dishes is pretty bad.
In the mornings, I eat cold so that I don’t have to wash dishes before packing up. I have a cup of coffee with a couple of breakfast bars.
I use a Revelate Design harness for the front so the tent and sleeping bag stuffed in their own bags and then strapped on to the harness. If I don’t have anything to lean the bike against, I just hold the bike up as best I can. Taking the bags off, stuffing them, and then trying to put them on the bike is more awkward than stuffing equipment into the bags.
Good luck. You’ll work it out eventually.