Hi All,

I know the conventional wisdom on backpacks. Before anyone starts seething, I've got a very specific purpose:

1. My gear, including sleep setup, is ultralight (with the exception of a DSLR Camera with no extra lenses).

2. We'll be passing near the White Mountains on our tour up to Canada and we may want to hike overnight once- I need a way to transport approx. 11lbs of sleep gear + a camera up a mountain, with a dinner and a breakfast.

3. I can't fathom using heavy bags with thick materials. UL Bicycle bags, or UL hiking bags only for me!



Here's the bag I'm considering:


This woman is, assumedly, much shorter than I am and her bag is stuffed to capacity. While riding, my bag would hold a camera, a thin coat, some water, and some food, so it would be at about 1/3 capacity and weigh less than 10lbs.

If anyone has an alternative, or if anyone wants to steer me away from this system, I have found these forums IMMENSLY helpful for nailing down the last details of my trip.

Thanks!

Sounds fine, but I would still strap that pack on to a rear rack, just to get it off my back. Backpacks are hot and a strain in normal cycling position.

^ That would be my choice as well. You can get a decent rear rack that only weighs about a pound and I find that to be well worth it to keep the weight off my back and also allow free air circulation.

I like rack bag options better also but I've done centuries with a 25 pound backpack and they weren't so bad but I ride at least 40 minutes per day with 10-15 lb pack. I'd prepare by riding every ride 'til the tour with a 10 lb pack just so that packing and riding becomes second nature.

Sternum strap is crucial and I prefer packs with a suspended mesh back. I've yet to find a pack that's comfortable with the waist strap fastened while riding, except on super upright bikes like cruisers and 3 speeds and no way I'm rollin' very far on one of those. I have a short torso and the strap just interferes with comfortably bending @ the waist.

The pack you're looking at doesn't have a suspended back so it may be a little sweaty in the heat.

The pack there has a wavy foam pad underneath a mesh that circulates air as you move, which is why I chose it. I don't know how effective it will be while riding, since it's designed for walking and running.

I have a back rack with a dry sack strapped to it for all my other gear, I will try to strap the backpack onto that. Thanks!

Is safety a concern with the weight on my mid to lower back while riding, if I put a full water bottle in there?

I put together a cycle touring backpack recently.

https://astoriahd.blogspot.com/2012/0...pack-gear.html

I ended up adding a large Sierra cup to set-up before leaving.

Everything weighed just over 12 pounds as shown in my post above.

I would view it as a more long term low level stress if you ride with a backpack with a rounded back position.Many racers over time actually experience low back problems from the force generated pulling up on the handlebars with the excessively rounded back position common for them.You will probably just notice a lack of comfort which seems to be a common complaint of road bikers with backpacks in which case just put it on the rack.Also riding more upright or standing and stretching/flexing the back ocassionally will help if you do ride with a backpack on your back.

If you are talking about a fanny pack I find them more uncomfortable to my hips than lower back both on or off the bike.I do wear a light fanny pack for valuables etc but not gear.I used to have one that held a water bottle and it was alright but I personally wouldn't go any heavier than that.But you are somewhat younger and probably more flexible than me so the important thing is to listen to your body and just put the weight on the rack if it starts feeling uncomfortable.

P.S. The backpack looks like a good blend of light weight plus durability so well suited for a bike tour imo.

I looked at a lot of bags before settling on that one, I'm glad to hear it looks ok.

I also use a fanny pack, the Inov-8 Race Pro 4, which I love. I've held 48oz of water in it but I would rather put the water in a backpack or frame bag, as it's not the most comfortable. With no water, it's a dream. I cannot recommend it highly enough.

Anyways, the tentative plan is to wear both at the same time, since I already wear the Inov-8 low, on my hips, and the bag should be cinched up tight if I'm wearing it. Of course, if I can strap it to the frame in some reasonable fashion, i'll be doing that. I do want to have quick access to it for snack breaks or water breaks, and for that, my back might be the best place.

more discussion on this earlier in June: https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...ckpack-on-Tour

Yea,on my mtn bike or backpacking I like to wear both and sort of use the fanny pack to support the backpack a little at times . And on a tour if the backpack isn't on your back its definitely convenient to have ready access to.And now that I think about it that fanny pack with the water bottle actually doubled as a handlebar bag.So on the bike I had it attached to the handlebars then grabbed it for off the bike.Kind of a neat idea but I like having valuables like money,credit cards, keys etc. on me at all times so even on the handlebar it was not ideal for me.

I've toured a few times with folding bike+backpack to take advantage of trains every so often (I hate riding through cities, so I'll take a train through them if possible), as long as you're used to riding with a pack you'll be fine. The only issue I have with it is that my back gets sweaty and stays that way with the pack on.

The only time I'd consider a backpack would be for a short and lightweight trip — possibly a long-weekend credit card tour with short daily distances. Even so, I'd look at ways to put the backpack onto the bike instead of on my back. Right now, I'll ride with a backpack when I'm going to work, but I have a very short commute and I keep the pack light, so it's not an issue.

Before going with the backpack, test it out with the load you'd carry for the distance you plan to ride in a day. At the end of the day, see how you feel. If you still plan to use the pack, then make sure to stop regularly, remove the pack and rest your back.

If you're cycling/touring offroad, a backpack can work OK.

If you're on the roads, wearing a big backpack the whole time will suck. Period.

Since you will be hiking for literally one day, you're better off with an ultralight frameless daypack like the Marmot Kompressor. Roll it up and keep it in your panniers during the trip, and break it out when you're doing that one-day hike or if you need a pack while wandering around a town. Weighs only 283g, volume 15 liters. The Plus is 340g and 18 liters.

First off, I have no panniers. It's a lot of weight, throwing a pair of Ortliebs on there, when I probably can't fill one to capacity with my stuff. But I get your point.

I wouldn't dream of hiking in the Kompressor. It's easy to say "one day" but if you're miserable with 14 pounds on your back for 5 hours, suddenly I'd wish I had brought something more than a dry-bag.

The Repack-15 has the same capacity, and it adds less than 300 grams for a top-rated foam sheet suspension that air-cools. I'd say it's a step up your suggestion. I think I will, however, try to heed the warning and strap it to my rack rather than my back.

Except...

I saw a warning on a photography forum that bike racks are subject to high-frequency vibration that can ruin cameras, in which case I'd absolutely wear a backpack (it's not THAT bad, it's just a backpack, you sweat anyways...). Has anyone heard anything to corroborate camera safety as a reason to use a bag?

I think it would depend on how you've packed your camera gear and where you're touring. There are ways to pack your gear so you're cushioning the most fragile items. Of course this would also mean it would be harder to get at your camera, but it could be an option. Alternately, take a less fancy camera with you on a bike trip and store it in a case in your handlebar bag. It's there when you need it. Or, if you want to have the camera accessible all the time, strap it to your waist and have the rest of your gear on the bike. Depending on how you've positioned the camera, it shouldn't interfere with your riding and it will be there whenever you want.

Well I guess it depends. I would have said the same thing, but on my last tour I wore a 10 ounce REI Flash 18 when I needed to carry some extra water and it worked so well I used it for the rest of the trip. I think that was another 8 days. It probably weighed only 2.5 pounds, but I hardly knew it was there and enjoyed that it automatically came with me when off the bike.

BTW, as far as carrying a camera... I prefer to have it as accessible as possible and that means in the handlebar bag. I carried a DSLR on the TA and either a 4:3 camera or a P&S on the other various tours. I put some stuff under it in the bag to cushion it, but I don't worry much about it. I figure it is a tool and meant to be used not babied.

I have used back packs while riding although probably with a bit more weight than you're describing. I found that if you have to stop in a real hurry while going slow it can overbalance you and actually throw you into or over your handlebars. I also found that even with good padded straps it cut into my shoulders on long days.

I've done it, and it's fine. So have plenty of other people. It's not an Osprey Stratos, but as an ultralight daypack, it fits the bill.

Channeled packs do reduce heat on the back, but not as much as you'd want if you're cycling with a backpack all day long. The weight will also be uncomfortable.

Try this: Take a backpack (I assume you have one), get it to the same weight you'd plan to bring on tour, and wear it for a 50-mile ride with some hills. Next, take the same amount of weight and put it on the rack, and do the same 50-mile ride. While you may find that the backpack is acceptable, I believe you'll find the rack option is a vast improvement.


So you're OK with potentially being miserable for your entire trip, as opposed to having a warm back for a few hours...?


To reiterate comments from your other thread: A handlebar bag with camera inserts is undoubtedly the superior option. Better protection, more convenient, better weight balance.

I wouldn't worry about "high-frequency vibrations." But I also would not put a valuable camera into a backpack that is jerry-rigged onto a bicycle rack.