Bike setup

I briefly mentioned that with the difference between bikepacking and bicycle touring means the bike setup is often a b it different. And while there are no rules on which bike you have to use, choosing a bike and having it set up in a way that you are comfortable riding on is the most important thing. You can ride any bike on any trial in theory but setting up a bike that is suitable for the adventure that you are planning is important not only for the enjoyment of the trip but safety of the trip. Not to mention, riding a bike that is not suitable for the trails you are riding and breaking every 5 minutes isn’t going to be a very enjoyable one.

Bombtrack Beyond plus Adv

Sonder Camino Ti V1

I think the number one mistake I see when people pack there bike for bikepacking is the location they are packing there gear, so often I see the bike loaded to the brim on the rear wheel, the key to packing your bike is to keep the load evenly spread out throughout the bike. You don’t want to have the rear carrying everything, and you don’t want the front to be carrying everything. The weight should be spread evenly across the bike. Doing this will ensure the bike handles more naturally, will reduce the risk of damaging your bike by not overloading one area. And will have the added benefit of helping keep your gear organised and easier to access.
With the UK trials changing day by day the 2 most important things to make sure are correct is tyre choice and gearing, starting with the tyres you will want something fast rolling but with good puncture protection, although you can defiantly backpack without a tubeless set up I do think it is worth the set-up, especially if you are thinking of going on more bikepacking adventures in the future. If you don’t want to use a tubeless setup, then using tyre liners or simply taping the inner side of the tyre can provide protection from most UK thorns. With UK bikepacking routes using a multitude of different types of trails, I think it’s best to use a cross-country or gravel bike tyre. I’d recommend using the largest tyre that your bike can take, but still leaving enough tyre clearance for when you encounter the muddy trails. For the gravel bike users I think the sweet spot for most UK bikepacking routes is 45-50mm tyres and on the MTB side anywhere from 2.1–2.6 inches.
The gearing you choose for your bike will play a crucial role in determining how many hills you hike versus how many you pedal. As mentioned, the terrain in the UK varies greatly depending on the region—some areas are flat, others are rolling countryside, and some are incredibly hilly with steep climbs. That's why getting your gearing right is essential. The ideal gearing setup will differ for each rider based on fitness level, cycling ability, and the specific goals of your bikepacking adventure. However, a good rule of thumb is to opt for lower (easier) gears rather than higher (harder) ones. It's better to have an easy climbing gear you rarely use than to struggle with gears that aren't low enough for tough climbs. Easier gearing will be more useful than harder gearing when bikepacking in the UK.
Having the right setup for the trails is essential for a successful bikepacking adventure in the UK, but knowing how to maintain your bike and understanding how it works is just as important. The golden rule of any bikepacking journey, no matter how great your bike is, is that 'it's not if it will break, it's when.' A solid understanding of your bike's mechanics will give you the best chance of fixing anything that goes wrong. When setting up your bikepacking rig, consider how easy it is to repair or replace parts while on the trail. If you can’t fix it on the trail, think about whether the nearest bike shop will be able to do so. While there are many great no-name brands out there that work well for everyday use, if their parts aren’t easily replaceable or repairable, they may not be the best choice for bikepacking. It’s all about maximising your chances of continuing your journey. Knowing that your bike is outfitted with reliable, readily available parts will give you peace of mind."
Which brings me onto what tools you need to carry while on a UK bikepacking adventure, the good news is that the UK is fairly small and while you can be in remote places you are normally within around 20 miles or so of somewhere, but you still need to carry some basic tools to keep you rolling. The must-haves tools are going to be a good multitool which you will be able to use for tightening and adjusting when needed, ideally the multitool would have a chain breaker tool, but having one separate is fine also. Tyre levers, tyre boots and even if you are riding tubeless at least 2 inner tubes. A spare quick link to put your chain back together, you can link a chain back together without this but since after i think 10 speed it doesn’t really work as well, and you are likely to find it braking again. And a spare rear mech hanger, and a set of brake pads, the trails in the UK can eat brake pads for breakfast. A good pump and of course some form of lubrication for the chain. And maybe a rag to give the chain a little wipe down from time to time. Some form of strong tape and cable ties are a good idea also. That would be the bare minimum you should probably carry in regard to bike maintenance and fixing. But you can go further. A spare set of jockey wheels, a spare gear/ brake cable. Spokes, and chain the list can really be endless and it all about weighing up the likelihood of the things that are most likely to need fixing or replacing. For example spare spokes is an interesting one, because carry a spare spoke is not a bad idea, but its often overlooked that to replace a broken spoke can mean you will need to also carry a chain whip tool as well as the cassette locking tool just to remove and replace the old spoke this isn’t always necessary but can be the case depending on how a wheel is built, that spoke you are carrying now requires multiple other bigger heavier tools. In some parts of the world this is of course worth it, but In the UK you are normally within some reasonable distance to find somewhere to get help. So carrying a spare spoke is not a bad idea still as well as the tool to tighten the nipple on the wheel, however just know that if you are not carrying other tools you may not really be able to fix it at the side of the trail anyway.

Shake down Ride

Now that you have your bike set up, it’s packed up with all the gear you think you will need for your trip, the next really important thing you need to do is a shake down ride. A shake down ride is a great way to not only test out that your bike is working as it should and feels good to ride, remember after adding all your gear the bike will feel different and the shake down ride will give you a good chance to get used to how the bike rides and help make changes before you go on the real adventure. Here are some things to know about a shake down ride…

A great idea with a shake down ride is to make it an overnighter, making it an overnighter will give you an idea how your set-up will work for you, you will get a chance to unpack the bike at night to pack it back up in the morning. This will help you decide if you have the bike packed up how you like it.
Get off-road and get over some rough trails, the shake down ride should replicate as much as possible of the bikepacking adventure you are going on, it’s not only testing your bike is working but also that nothing is going to fall off and nothing is going to become loose.
The idea of a shake down ride is to help you find out what works and doesn’t work in a more controlled environment, where if it does all goes wrong you can just bail and go home, and get back to the drawing board. It shouldn’t be a big epic adventure, it really is to allow you to test and understand how everything will work together.