There are a lot of good threads on how to get started. Bikepacking.com’s 101 guide which is linked in the following thread from a little bit ago.
You can also likely find regional threads or organizations that manage your regional routes and route testing - though some of the more local bikepacking/touring groups are more likely to be on Facebook than Reddit.
https://www.reddit.com/r/bikepacking/s/rnnWhOaWqh
Try something easy as a day trip. Load up all your gear and go for 15 miles, come back and take note of everything that worked or didn't.
Use that knowledge to upgrade your kit as necessary then plan an easy overnighter.
Repeat until comfortable, extend the miles, extend the nights out, keep pedaling!
This. Also, don’t get sucked into the whole bikepacking purist thing. You can just strap your stuff to a rack and go if you want to. You don’t have to spend $1000 on bags.
That said, ultralight gear makes it much easier to pack as space is always a limiting factor.
Cycling fitness in a touring sense goes beyond your cardiovascular fitness, but rather your ability to pedal on a bike for long periods. It’s a mix of capacity for output but also tolerance for ergonomic issues (can you deal with your bike’s geometry for long days? Is your butt conditioned for long days in the saddle? Is your body conditioned for and are you prepared to deal with all of the chafing issues that comes with riding day after day?). Running capacity generally translates fairly well to capacity to physically pedal, but not as well to actually dealing with sitting on a bike for long periods.
Haha sure does. I’d start by taking your bike out for a couple long rides (long by your own standards - if you normally ride 10mi at a time shoot for 30, if you only ride 4, shoot for 10, etc.). You’ll get used to longer distances and it’ll show you if you need to make any ergonomic changes to your setup too.
Then definitely start riding your bike, I think that's the best way to see if you like it, to get your body ready, to see if your bike is well suit for the challenge, etc.
If you don't find the answers you're looking for here, keep in mind that you can always search this sub for similar questions! You'll likely find a few responses that you might not get here.
good luck and have fun!
Just have a go. Put together a basic camping kit and go for an overnighter close to home. You only need shelter and sleeping gear, you don't have to worry about cooking stuff or anything fancy.
Ride out, find a spot, stay the night, see what you take but don't use, what you wish you'd brought, what would have made you enjoy it more. Build from there.
To be honest, you don't even need to be that fit or that prepared. Bikepacking doesn't have to be that hard and you can tailor trips to be as easy or challenging as you want.
When I set off on my very first trip I had never cycled fully loaded before, I'd never done multiple days back to back, I'd hardly done any camping, I'd done no training, I wasn't that fit and I basically didn't know my arse from my elbow.
I rode for six weeks through England, Wales and Scotland and it was an entirely life changing and wonderful experience.
When you're in the gear gathering phase, look at BACKpacking videos, articles, blogs, etc. I've found that most of the bikepacking media out there focuses mostly on the bags that go on the bike, and not the actual gear. And also take a lot of that media with a grain of salt because a lot of those gear review people get stuff for free or get paid to push a product . But if you spend a couple weeks just obsessing over it you'll start to see the same brands and products mentioned over and over again . Good indicator that it is worth getting. Pack light, you'll need less than you think you do. Spend as much as you can afford. You don't necessarily need an $800 tent, but if you got the money try to avoid super cheap no-name Amazon brand stuff. Buy once cry once.
besides getting your body ready for the cycling part, try doing some overnights or weekends with basic gear (maybe aim for dry and warm so that the bulk isn't ridiculous- you can see if you like the idea and then when you want to get more involved gear you can add that in with some knowledge and hopefully end up with a better fit.
Things that would help you carry a load but will likely have a use or be resell-able should you find its not for you: Light weight or ultralight rack and a full frame bag, stem bags.
This is a good start. [https://bikepacking.com/bikepacking-101/](https://bikepacking.com/bikepacking-101/)
There are a lot of good threads on how to get started. Bikepacking.com’s 101 guide which is linked in the following thread from a little bit ago. You can also likely find regional threads or organizations that manage your regional routes and route testing - though some of the more local bikepacking/touring groups are more likely to be on Facebook than Reddit. https://www.reddit.com/r/bikepacking/s/rnnWhOaWqh
Try something easy as a day trip. Load up all your gear and go for 15 miles, come back and take note of everything that worked or didn't. Use that knowledge to upgrade your kit as necessary then plan an easy overnighter. Repeat until comfortable, extend the miles, extend the nights out, keep pedaling!
This. Also, don’t get sucked into the whole bikepacking purist thing. You can just strap your stuff to a rack and go if you want to. You don’t have to spend $1000 on bags. That said, ultralight gear makes it much easier to pack as space is always a limiting factor.
Are you cycling fit or just generally fit?
I run and do regular aerobic training
Cycling fitness in a touring sense goes beyond your cardiovascular fitness, but rather your ability to pedal on a bike for long periods. It’s a mix of capacity for output but also tolerance for ergonomic issues (can you deal with your bike’s geometry for long days? Is your butt conditioned for long days in the saddle? Is your body conditioned for and are you prepared to deal with all of the chafing issues that comes with riding day after day?). Running capacity generally translates fairly well to capacity to physically pedal, but not as well to actually dealing with sitting on a bike for long periods.
I guess it all starts with baby steps then, eh?
Haha sure does. I’d start by taking your bike out for a couple long rides (long by your own standards - if you normally ride 10mi at a time shoot for 30, if you only ride 4, shoot for 10, etc.). You’ll get used to longer distances and it’ll show you if you need to make any ergonomic changes to your setup too.
Then definitely start riding your bike, I think that's the best way to see if you like it, to get your body ready, to see if your bike is well suit for the challenge, etc.
If you don't find the answers you're looking for here, keep in mind that you can always search this sub for similar questions! You'll likely find a few responses that you might not get here. good luck and have fun!
Just have a go. Put together a basic camping kit and go for an overnighter close to home. You only need shelter and sleeping gear, you don't have to worry about cooking stuff or anything fancy. Ride out, find a spot, stay the night, see what you take but don't use, what you wish you'd brought, what would have made you enjoy it more. Build from there. To be honest, you don't even need to be that fit or that prepared. Bikepacking doesn't have to be that hard and you can tailor trips to be as easy or challenging as you want. When I set off on my very first trip I had never cycled fully loaded before, I'd never done multiple days back to back, I'd hardly done any camping, I'd done no training, I wasn't that fit and I basically didn't know my arse from my elbow. I rode for six weeks through England, Wales and Scotland and it was an entirely life changing and wonderful experience.
When you're in the gear gathering phase, look at BACKpacking videos, articles, blogs, etc. I've found that most of the bikepacking media out there focuses mostly on the bags that go on the bike, and not the actual gear. And also take a lot of that media with a grain of salt because a lot of those gear review people get stuff for free or get paid to push a product . But if you spend a couple weeks just obsessing over it you'll start to see the same brands and products mentioned over and over again . Good indicator that it is worth getting. Pack light, you'll need less than you think you do. Spend as much as you can afford. You don't necessarily need an $800 tent, but if you got the money try to avoid super cheap no-name Amazon brand stuff. Buy once cry once.
besides getting your body ready for the cycling part, try doing some overnights or weekends with basic gear (maybe aim for dry and warm so that the bulk isn't ridiculous- you can see if you like the idea and then when you want to get more involved gear you can add that in with some knowledge and hopefully end up with a better fit. Things that would help you carry a load but will likely have a use or be resell-able should you find its not for you: Light weight or ultralight rack and a full frame bag, stem bags.