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    5 Years of Bike Touring – What I’ve Learned | Bike Packing – Bike Camping Tips



    I’ve been going on bicycle adventures for about 5 years now and these are some of the tips I’ve learned about gear choice and more. Some thoughts on tents and sleeping bags, route planning, what not to bring etc.
    #bikepacking #bikecamping #biketouring

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    36 Comments

    3. Alia Elborai on

      Thank you for this video 🙂 Do you have one about "essential repair kit for travelling" or sth of that sort? I really like your approach and energy

    5. alex hall on

      Tim…..good question regards whether to sleep on inflatable or flip out mat. I've a thermarest neoair xtherm max regular wide and a flip out mat. I will use the inflatable in colder seasons as it really is epic….great R rating and literally reflects body heat back up into you. But sometimes in summer when I know the night will be really warm, I may take the flip out especially when I know Im going to do about 100 miles in a day and will literally crash in a alpkit bivvy bag on the spot somewhere….you know when you really are completely spent and just want to crash out fast and so tired you wont even be too fussed about the thickness of your mat. With the inflatable thermarest I use my mini electric pump but these things just add up weight when bikepacking. The inflatable will slide into my podsack well where as you will always need to strap a fold out mat to rear panniers/bars etc. My Thermarest is superb with comfort and heat retention, there are the lighter inflatable summer mattresses out there such as the klymit Inertia xlite, Themarest Neoair uberlite, exped, sea to summit etc……

    6. Stephen Burger on

      I'm loving your videos, Tim. You have it just right, and you make me want to just hop on my bike and explore. As an aside…I first started riding bikes in Rochester, NY, so seeing your video of High Falls really made my day! I enjoyed many rides with a six pack of Genny Cream Ale in my bag. Thanks for bringing back these memories.

    8. MrAdamNTProtester on

      Sugar is a poison it has ZERO nutritional benefit & only causes harm… slower than most poisons but deadly all the same… if you need energy you can mix Creatine Monohydrate Powder in water or whatever you drink that in the morning & you will have excellent focus, also coffee with butter/coconut oil… MCT Oil… and try cruciferous veggies instead of your snacks… you will be healthier & happier

    10. Maciej Pilichowski on

      Well put, thank you! As for inflatable pad vs. foam one, I am in transition period. On my last trip I took both, but once I put foam pad on the ground I didn't even bother inflating the former one (it is way too looooong :-)). It is a matter of preferences — foam ones have guaranteed level of (dis)comfort 😉 while one puncture could get you from "comfy" to "terrible" night when using air pad. Secondly my bike trips with camping are the days off the work, so I try to optimize things to max to spend time enjoying the views, and not on pitching tent, clearing ground, pumping pad — those of course are must-do tasks, but if I can speed those up, better trip for me :-).

    12. George Macheel on

      (1) Non-inflatable sleep pads are the best insulators. In cold weather you can sleep directly on the pad and cover yourself with your quilt or bag. Also, some inflatable mattresses are noisy when you move. I cover mine with a sleeping bag liner to reduce the rubbing. (2) Hammering is something you do with your pelaton on day outings or while racing: when touring, look at something besides your friend’s back. (3) Take side trips to enjoy major attractions. On the GAP/C&O trail, these might be Fallingwater, Harper’s Ferry and Antietam Battlefield. (4) In nice weather, camping is a richer experience than motels/restaurants, especially when it provides an opportunity to meet other bikers. In hot weather, all you need to take the salt off is loose clothing, a water source, soap and a sponge. Reserve a base layer for sleepwear. (5) Invest in the best tools to keep you safe; i.e., rear view mirrors and whatever makes you visible. (6) Eat and drink proactively; i.e. before you feel the need.

    13. Ja ck on

      I use the foam mats becase they're cheap as chips, weigh absolutely nothing and take about 5 seconds to set up 🙂

    16. Spencer Jones on

      Currently doing the Trans American Route. I ditched my blow up mattress (after it got a hole in it) for the accordion style sleeping mat. I love it since it takes 3 second to set up and take down and cuts down on the chores in the evening and the morning. It’s probably 75% as comfortable.

    17. ben mazor on

      i take both inflatable and foldable sleeping pads.
      1) inflatable is soft and foldable is firm makes for best sleep.
      2) gaurantees if air leaks or stretches or if i shift around a lot, i never touch the ground.
      3) foldable is quick to depoloy so i can use it for lunch seat or sunbathing when not specifically at the tent.
      4) backup pad as closed cell foam never breaks
      i recommend the nemo over the thermarest since it packs tighter together

    21. Sebastian on

      I like the foldable sleeping mat for the simplicity. Fold out and done. Also you can use it to sit on when in the tent, just lifts your but off the ground so you sit straight. You can also pop it out in the middle of the day to sit on or lie down and have a nap. In colder months i use both.

    22. 1000 words on

      I also have a Trek from that era with cross tires I adore. It can handle a frame bag, a tight saddle bag and small bar bag with synthetic fenders; but nothing else. So I appreciate your including that point. I built up a burlier Ti frame for all road touring but still love my old skinny steel bike.

    24. MrFowlz on

      I think the two main pros of a folding pad ate 1) theyre super cheap, and 2) they are impossible to break. Bonus points for being able to use them as chairs on a pit stop, or to lay on top of brambles.

    26. North Valley on

      im recently getting back into biking from a 12 year break lol , i was wondering after how much time a biker start to wear tight speedos and tiny caps ? how long until theses symptoms start to emerge ? im scared

    29. Mike on

      I 100% agree about buying really good gear for a bike backpacking trips. I did my first trip about 6 years ago from Berlin to Copenhagen and had mediocre gear and having to get it replaced took some time from our trip and just would of spent the same amount if I had just purchased good gear in the beginning. Now going on my 6th bike backpacking trip soon, I have all the proper gear down and what is really needed for this trip.

      It's a plus if you go with multiple people that you get along with, due to you being with them almost 24/7. But you can divide the gear needed between everyone.

    30. Diego Ledesma on

      Hi! I used an inflatable pad with sponge. It's made of sponge in the interior and its all inside an inflatable thing… I used that for like 3 months before it punctured, then i repaired it with normal bike patch but kept puncturing every once in a while so at the end it had like 20+ patches and I gave up repairing it and used it only with the sponge and it kept working fine…
      So I think I practically used a foldable one hahaha I must say the first days of using it inflatable was pretty nice but it lasted too short and later it was ok! you get used to it. But later I knew a friend with the inflatable one and it folds so small I wanted one for myself! But I hadn't had the chance to buy one. My most early experience I used a yoga pad for like the last 2 months bikepacking in Mexico and it was alright. It depends on how peeky you are at the time of sleeping. I think I can sleep even without a pad but in bad weather it saves your life.

    31. Victor Trevino on

      This was very helpful! I'm going on next week's Ragbrai, and bike packing on my road bike. Your advice on picking your fellow riders is spot on. That's why I go alone! Thanks for the great advice!

    32. Sensatious Hiatus on

      Good tips man, I'm new to the whole bike touring realm, but I want to get into it. I've done lots of long distance backpacking so I've got a lot of the camping gear already, but I'm kind of clueless on the bikes. Curious if you would recommend any videos or terms to search when looking at bikes for beginner bike tour people like me. Also, I definitely have bonked several times while backpacking…it is NOT fun. I'll add that if you bonk in extreme heat or at altitude, it takes much longer to recuperate. I feel like I'm more susceptible to it now as well (I don't know though) and I try to keep some emergency sugars in my pack – those energy gel packs can come in handy.

    35. Giancarlo Benzina on

      use your shirt for covering the rubbery surfaces of sleeping pad or -pillow by inserting them into the shirt. On the companions – you can do test rides with them doing the type of ride on a day – so both have an idea…

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