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Weeklong backpack of the Panamints again. Did most of the middle in 2014. Aiming further north this time.
Any bikepackers on here? (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter JoeW
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Upgraded my ride in 2020:
It’s an REI clone of a Surly. All my road buddies shake their heads at the 38mm Schwalbes. But they still can’t keep up with me.
It’s an REI clone of a Surly. All my road buddies shake their heads at the 38mm Schwalbes. But they still can’t keep up with me.
Where are the Panamints?
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West side of Death Valley.
Oh, nice, I bet that's beautiful. I'm going to have to dig into that one a little bit.
Welll..... its not exactly a solid plan yet but I'm moving in a direction...
Going to visit some friends in catalonia... they live in the pyrenees right near border of france and spain. And the wheels have started to turn. I just bought a geared bike and some bags... thinking to follow my nose from med to atlantic, hopefully along the hiking trails. Emphasis on the food and eventually that basque cider. I bought a guide book about the "Haut Route" that sticks pretty close to the border, good for insight into the high country but there's some sections that wouldn't be possible with a bike. So there's lots of choices, gr11 trail in spain, haut route, gr10 in france, and then the classic french road route called "raid pyrenees".
What I like is there's a bunch of awesome little towns way up in the mountains so food should be easily available.
Bikes a kona honzo with 140 fork and 2.6 tires.
Here's another pic from last trip The goal for the day was on the other side of that low sandy ridge across the valley. This is probably the last roadless section left on the route. World is so small today, there's a road 15 miles behind me, and another one is reached about 15 miles ahead.
Left the cruisers at home for this trip with my recently acquired Surly Ghost Grappler.
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What keeps your front packages from rotating into the spokes?
I have salsa anything cages on the bottle bosses
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How did that new Ghost Grappler do. I've been seeing them all over IG fora while now. Was yours custom built or is that the out of the box configuration?
I love it! Definitely a rather odd bike. Really stable on rough trails and carrying loads.
It's mostly out of the box. I did install 2.8 tyres for some extra meat on bumpy trails.
Also changed out the saddle for a Brooks leather saddle.
so for those of you on this thread that are schooling me to what real bike packing is i was wondering if you have recommendations for a good frame bag for a full suspension bike (specifically a canyon neuron for suspension style sake). while i understand that full suspension is not your typical bike packing bike it’s something my wife wants for day rides so she doesn’t have to carry gear in a backpack. things like an extra jacket or food for the day etc
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Any of the custom bag manufacturers-like Rogue Panda can make one for your wife's bike. You might also look locally for a seamstress. Another option, that I use quite a bit on my full suspension bikes. Is to use a top tube bag and sometimes a handle bar bag to carry gear, without a backpack. This also leaves your frame open for a water bottle.
Broadfork bags make really nice custom bags for pretty much any spot on your bike.
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While doing some spring cleaning yesterday I found a couple of pictures that someone snapped of me taking my MTB up Surprise Canyon in Death Valley, 1992. There was a small window of opportunity at that time to four wheel up the canyon, which required winching up six waterfalls. I had gone the year before with a group from TLCA and decided to followup with a mountain bike ascent.
To say it was a challenge would be an understatement.
To say it was a challenge would be an understatement.
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SO RAD! Thats straight out of the Rough Stuff Fellowship! (Login • Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/rsfarchive/?hl=en)
Did a quick overnight trip to try out my full suspension for bikepacking. The rough sections and DH's were definitely a lot more fun on this vs the rigid bike I usually ride. Also, the Aero rack did great, very sturdy. My friend who was with me decided he's going to buy one to after this trip.
I've done a few trips, nothing too long as I'm a weekend warrior, I never seem to have enough vacation.
Smoke and Fire (~420 mile race here in ID) on my full suspension twice.
Rode my gravel bike from Boise to McCall on dirt, spent one night out. Left Friday after work, road to a small town, had dinner and a few beers then road up into the woods and camped for the night, finished riding to some friends property the next day. My wife drove up on Saturday and gave me a ride home. Think that ride is just 120 miles. Could have done it in a day, but wanted to try out the bike-packing thing. I definitely prefer suspension to rigid on wash-board roads...my wrists were killing me at the end of this ride.
And one other weekend trip I did testing out my hard-tail for the 2019 Smoke and Fire.
Smoke and Fire (~420 mile race here in ID) on my full suspension twice.
Rode my gravel bike from Boise to McCall on dirt, spent one night out. Left Friday after work, road to a small town, had dinner and a few beers then road up into the woods and camped for the night, finished riding to some friends property the next day. My wife drove up on Saturday and gave me a ride home. Think that ride is just 120 miles. Could have done it in a day, but wanted to try out the bike-packing thing. I definitely prefer suspension to rigid on wash-board roads...my wrists were killing me at the end of this ride.
And one other weekend trip I did testing out my hard-tail for the 2019 Smoke and Fire.
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Check out the stuff from Oveja Negra as well in Salida. Rad company.
I have my Squid FOJ outfitted with their bags.
Next round…. Just got my proof of a new frame bag Rogue Panda in Flag is making for me… My Salsa frame bag lasted two weeks. 
Of course I like bikes, but I won’t ever leave my Toyota background behind…
Now, to just get Toyota to sponsor me for some bike touring trips in, say, Japan.
Of course I like bikes, but I won’t ever leave my Toyota background behind…
Now, to just get Toyota to sponsor me for some bike touring trips in, say, Japan.
