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WHAT DO YOU NEED TO BRING BIKE PACKING

10:37·22 July 2021

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KEY TAKEAWAYS

Use bag placement to manage weight: bulky sleep gear up front in the handlebar bag, dense items like food and tools in the frame bag closest to the bike's centre.
Pack your saddle bag last and cinch every strap tight — it carries the most weight and will sway badly if not locked down properly.
In unpredictable weather, a lightweight tent beats a bivy even if it costs you extra grams and euros — misery-proofing your sleep is worth the trade-off.
Keep your top tube bag strictly for items you need without stopping: phone, wallet, and anything you'd otherwise dig through other bags to find.
Dehydrated camp meals are a practical calorie solution — add water, wait ten minutes, and you have a hot dinner without carrying a heavy cooking setup.

TOPICS

CYCLING FOR TRIATHLETES

I run through the bags i'm using and what i'm carrying bike packing.

14 day challenge www.roadmancycling.com/14day

Support this podcast: www.patreon.com/anthony_walsh

All the bits & bobs I recommend are here www.roadmanresources.com

KEY QUOTES

“The saddle bag sway is quite a bit when you have all this stuff in so it is important to really pull home those straps and lock it centrally in tight.”
Anthony Walsh — Roadman Cycling podcast host

“I went with a light sleeping bag, ground mat, pillow and the big Agnes tent. For me, just worth the extra way for a bit of comfort plus Wicklow Mountains, even in summer the weather is very unpredictable.”
Anthony Walsh — Roadman Cycling podcast host

“That seems to be the halting of bike pack and it's this constant trade for comfort versus lightness and transportability.”
Anthony Walsh — Roadman Cycling podcast host

READ THE FULL TRANSCRIPT

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EPISODE TRANSCRIPT3 SECTIONS

Bikepacking Bags and Setup

Roman, let's run through the equipment and bring me on the bike packing trip. Cue that intro! The big question is this. How do we use cycling as a tool to improve our health, our happiness and our longevity? That is the question and this podcast will give you the answers. My name is Anthony Walsh and welcome to the Roman Podcast. Roleman, welcome back to another Roleman short form podcast. Thanks for joining me. Today, Roleman, I want to run through and give you an idea of what sort of equipment and how to get ready for a bike packing trip. I'm currently on the Wicklow Way at the moment, and it's a two day bike packing trip so that necessitated bringing sleeping system, you see the way in all it's called a sleeping system and not just a sleeping bag tent, a full sleeping system and a cooking system and been self-sufficient during the day. So obviously you have all that and then that needs to go on to your bike so you need a way to attach it to your bike so you're bringing bike luggage so that's what I want to run through today. I do, roadmen, just a reminder about Patreon. Patreon.com forward slash Anthony underscore watch is the address. It's in the bio, it's linked for your convenience. Just take one second, pause it, head over there now and see what we're trying to do. We're trying to build a roadman community, a movement of cyclists with a passion for living longer, for being healthier. And the podcast is one of the ways we're getting that message out. And the Patreon is the vital support for keeping the podcast gone. So please take a second, it costs the price of a beer once a month to support the podcast. So head on over there to that link and if you can afford it, make a small contribution towards the podcast. Okay, Roman, let's break this down. So I want to talk bags first. So I went all my bags from Apijora and I actually ordered directly off them rather than going through a wiggle or chain reaction and the services brilliant. The bags were here in roughly two days. So I went with the larger handlebar bike and the handlebar bike is where you want to get your sleep system in and I'll run through what that is in a minute. So the handlebar bike is contained within the width of your handlebars and straps onto the handlebar. It's not one of these sort of the hip street handlebar bikes that people use out train and you know why you use it occasionally from the long ride where you're putting your tools in on a little bit of food. It's a bigger rollback where you can get in, tent, sleep and bike, mat, et cetera. Then moving onto the frame, we have our frame bag, and our frame bag is where we wanna put in our dead weight. You wanna put in heavy stuff. It's close to the frame. It's not really affecting your center of gravity. So while the handlebar bag, we put in the bulky stuff like tent, mat, and sleep and bike. On the frame, we wanna put in the dead weight. So we're putting in food, we're putting in spurs, putting in towels. It's also an easy enough bag to access so you can put in things that you're gonna want to use quite frequently like sun cream like maybe musketo block things like that. Then we get on to really the workhorse bag of the of the trip. It's your saddle bag and this is where you're gonna get most of your remaining stuff in. So in my saddle bag I have spare change kit for the second day. Just to cut down on weight I only brought spare bib shorts and a a base layer. So I'm going to wash out the jersey and reuse that.

Sleep and Cooking Systems

I've also bought shorts to chill out in the evening, leg warmers in case the weather turns, like a down micro fleece jacket. In there I also have my cooking system. So for my cooking system I went with a brand called MSOR and it's literally a small gas can. The gas can is coming small medium large. I've got one small gas cam and it attaches by a tube to the MSR. It's a little gas-bourner unit and you can see it one part and takes I think five minutes to boil a litre of water off this. So it's a pretty effective unit. That's going into the saddle bag. The saddle bag sway is quite a bit when you have all this stuff in so it is important to really pull home those straps and lock it centrally in tight. The final bag that I have with me is on the top tube and it's a tiny little bag and this is for just access and stuff you need to access all the time like maybe your mobile phone, a camera, a banker, just small bits like that, your wallet, house kit, stuff like that. You don't want to lose this important that you need access to all the time. That's in the little small bag that's on your top tube. I'm going to have all this pictures it is up on my Instagram so it's roman.s like and if you want to follow the trip on Instagram and I'm also doing a YouTube video which would be out probably next week at some point towards the end of the week takes a little bit to air tells so a run through of the kit that I'm bringing so I went with a tent from big Agnes now they do hiking specific tents bike packing specific tents and they're a lot loiter you are gonna pay a bit more for these big Agnes lightweight tents. I think my one was in the ballpark of 400 euro delivered. The big Agnes tent that I went for. You don't have to go with a tent so this idea of a sleep system very much depends on the climate you're in. So your sleep system prizes off. Your pillow if you're a bit of a pussy like me so I'm bringing an inflatable pillow. You need something to get off the ground, a ground mat. So I've I've gone with a small roll-up and flatable ground mat from Vango. A sleeping bag or a sleeping bag and a bivi bag. So if you're super hard core, you could go without the tent and just go ground mat under you, sleeping bag, bivi bag and pillow. If you're super super hard core, you don't even need the pillow. But for me, I'm going with the tent on the outside. So I went with a light sleeping bag, ground mat, pillow and the big Agnes tent. For me, just worth the extra way for a bit of comfort plus Wicklow Mountains, even in summer the weather is very unpredictable. There is Hutz peppered along the route, but they're more designed for walkers. So walking this is indicated as a five to seven day hike. So the Hutz are spaced accordingly five to seven days, so with us doing it over two days, the Hutz may fall at an awkward distance they were not sure about, so it might not be possible to sleep in one of the hoods. Bivian outdoors in the rain in Ireland is a miserable, miserable experience. So that's why I've gone with the tents to carry a little bit extra weight, a little bit extra bulk, both just your trade and that offer comfort. And that seems to be the halting of bike pack and it's this constant trade for comfort versus lightness and transportability. Transportability award? It is now. Pretty sure it is award. On the frame bag I've gone with food.

Food, Tools and Final Kit

The food I've gone with, look it's not in revolutionary here, it's just stuff that I'm used to eating now trying and lots of cereal bars. I've gone with some donuts just to mix it up, spurs, making sure I have chain breaker, plenty of tubes, allen keys, you know, the usual like you're going on a long day on the road. Now you can get out of the week a week away at point so it's not like we're completely If we have a mechanical, it's going to be a long walk back out, but it's not going to be a two day walk with the bike. So it is possible to get out an abandoned ship at any point, which makes it a little bit safer from that point of view, and the necessity to knock curry so many tools, but you want to be very self-sufficient. And in the back then, as I said, I'm gone with the MSR camp stove. gone with dehydrated camp food which is a bit weird so you're sort of mixing them with water you're letting it sit for 10 minutes or so and it boils in the bag got some of that stuck in there I've got the spare clothes stuck in there I've got a head torch stuck in there I've got a camp knife because he doesn't have a camp knife all the ballers got a camp knife got little you know where biodegradable tissues for wiping your ass if you need to take a shit in the woods like the bears and that's basically it, well man I'm pretty sure I've forgotten some major stuff and I'll be able to hoylike them tomorrow when I get back from it but at the moment that seems to be doing me and then I've obviously brought a camera to vlog the experience along the way and I will get that video out as I said next week but looking forward to it obviously this has been pre-recorded and when you're listening to this, I will be on the wiggle away. So to keep up to date on how that's gone, check it out over on the Instagram. Yeah, look, this wasn't, it was like reading, like reading in encyclopedia, running through exactly what kit I'm bringing and audio forums doesn't always lead for the most entertaining version of reading encyclopedia without visual prompts. So I'll take pictures, I'll stick it all up on Instagram and you'll see it up on the YouTube video. If you haven't checked out the Sami Sorry episode, yesterday checked out one out because that one is a whopper and she's a girl who'll just give you such a sense of adventure and freedom and exploration and exactly what bike ride should be. She embodies a lot of that. That's a brilliant interview so go back and check that one out and I'll back to you live tomorrow. Roadman ride safe and chat to you then. Hey everybody it's Anthony again. Really quick I want to invite you to join arguably the best thing I've ever put out inside the roadman community. It's a challenge. It's a challenge called a 14-day Kickstarter challenge. So regardless of where your fitness is at right now, this is going to be the catalyst for making you faster and making you the leaner. I've created this challenge to take the guesswork out of everything. It's 14 days of training plans regardless of what your level is. There's the master's beginner advanced. There's meal plans, shopping list and even a video course holding your hand and talking you through at all. So what I recommend you do right now is just stop everything press pause on this audio and go to roadmansoycling.com forward slash 14 day or check out the link in the bio that roadmansoycling.com slash 14 day

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What bags do I need for bikepacking?+

Anthony Walsh recommends a four-bag system for bikepacking: a handlebar bag, frame bag, saddle bag, and top tube bag. He uses Apidura bags specifically, and this setup covers all gear categories from sleep kit to tools and daily essentials.

How do I distribute weight when bikepacking?+

Pack dense, heavy items like food and tools in the frame bag, which sits low and central on the bike. Bulky but lighter gear such as a sleeping bag goes in the handlebar bag, and small everyday items like your phone and wallet stay in the top tube bag for easy access.

Should I use a tent or bivy for bikepacking?+

A tent is the better choice if you are riding in unpredictable weather. Anthony Walsh chose a Big Agnes tent over a bivy for the Wicklow Way specifically because of Irish weather conditions, accepting the extra weight in exchange for reliable shelter.

What do I need for a two-day bikepacking trip?+

For a two-day trip you need sleep gear, a cooking setup such as an MSR stove, spare cycling kit, food, tools, and personal essentials. Anthony Walsh covers this exact kit list for a Wicklow Way route, organising everything across four bags to keep the bike balanced and manageable.

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KEY QUOTES

“The saddle bag sway is quite a bit when you have all this stuff in so it is important to really pull home those straps and lock it centrally in tight.”
Anthony Walsh — Roadman Cycling podcast host

“I went with a light sleeping bag, ground mat, pillow and the big Agnes tent. For me, just worth the extra way for a bit of comfort plus Wicklow Mountains, even in summer the weather is very unpredictable.”
Anthony Walsh — Roadman Cycling podcast host

“That seems to be the halting of bike pack and it's this constant trade for comfort versus lightness and transportability.”
Anthony Walsh — Roadman Cycling podcast host

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What bags do I need for bikepacking?+

How do I distribute weight when bikepacking?+

Should I use a tent or bivy for bikepacking?+

What do I need for a two-day bikepacking trip?+

WHAT DO YOU NEED TO BRING BIKE PACKING

KEY QUOTES

Bikepacking Bags and Setup

Sleep and Cooking Systems

Food, Tools and Final Kit

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

NEVER MISS AN EPISODE

READ THE GUIDE

RELATED EPISODES

IS YOUR BIKE FIT POINTLESS? THE ONE EXCEPTION YOU NEED TO KNOW | RDMN CLIPS

HOW I SURVIVED THE WICKLOW WAY (BIKE PACKING)

MY FIRST OVERNIGHT BIKE PACKING TRIP

RELATED CONTENT

IS YOUR BIKE FIT POINTLESS? THE ONE EXCEPTION YOU NEED TO KNOW | RDMN CLIPS

HIDDEN CAUSE OF BACK & NECK PAIN IN CYCLING: HOW TO BEAT IT | RDMN CLIPS

THE CORRECT BIKE FIT SIMPLIFIED | DR PRUITT

LIKED THIS EPISODE?

WHAT DO YOU NEED TO BRING BIKE PACKING

KEY QUOTES

Bikepacking Bags and Setup

Sleep and Cooking Systems

Food, Tools and Final Kit

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

NEVER MISS AN EPISODE

READ THE GUIDE

RELATED EPISODES

IS YOUR BIKE FIT POINTLESS? THE ONE EXCEPTION YOU NEED TO KNOW | RDMN CLIPS

HOW I SURVIVED THE WICKLOW WAY (BIKE PACKING)

MY FIRST OVERNIGHT BIKE PACKING TRIP

RELATED CONTENT

IS YOUR BIKE FIT POINTLESS? THE ONE EXCEPTION YOU NEED TO KNOW | RDMN CLIPS

HIDDEN CAUSE OF BACK & NECK PAIN IN CYCLING: HOW TO BEAT IT | RDMN CLIPS

THE CORRECT BIKE FIT SIMPLIFIED | DR PRUITT

LIKED THIS EPISODE?

WHAT DO YOU NEED TO BRING BIKE PACKING

KEY QUOTES

1.Bikepacking Bags and Setup

2.Sleep and Cooking Systems

3.Food, Tools and Final Kit

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

NEVER MISS AN EPISODE

READ THE GUIDE

RELATED EPISODES

IS YOUR BIKE FIT POINTLESS? THE ONE EXCEPTION YOU NEED TO KNOW | RDMN CLIPS

HOW I SURVIVED THE WICKLOW WAY (BIKE PACKING)

MY FIRST OVERNIGHT BIKE PACKING TRIP

RELATED CONTENT

IS YOUR BIKE FIT POINTLESS? THE ONE EXCEPTION YOU NEED TO KNOW | RDMN CLIPS

HIDDEN CAUSE OF BACK & NECK PAIN IN CYCLING: HOW TO BEAT IT | RDMN CLIPS

THE CORRECT BIKE FIT SIMPLIFIED | DR PRUITT

LIKED THIS EPISODE?

WHAT DO YOU NEED TO BRING BIKE PACKING

KEY QUOTES

1.Bikepacking Bags and Setup

2.Sleep and Cooking Systems

3.Food, Tools and Final Kit

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

NEVER MISS AN EPISODE

READ THE GUIDE

RELATED EPISODES

IS YOUR BIKE FIT POINTLESS? THE ONE EXCEPTION YOU NEED TO KNOW | RDMN CLIPS

HOW I SURVIVED THE WICKLOW WAY (BIKE PACKING)

MY FIRST OVERNIGHT BIKE PACKING TRIP

RELATED CONTENT

IS YOUR BIKE FIT POINTLESS? THE ONE EXCEPTION YOU NEED TO KNOW | RDMN CLIPS

HIDDEN CAUSE OF BACK & NECK PAIN IN CYCLING: HOW TO BEAT IT | RDMN CLIPS

THE CORRECT BIKE FIT SIMPLIFIED | DR PRUITT

LIKED THIS EPISODE?

Bikepacking Bags and Setup

Sleep and Cooking Systems

Food, Tools and Final Kit

Bikepacking Bags and Setup

Sleep and Cooking Systems

Food, Tools and Final Kit