The bikepacking season is just around the corner. Glorious hours in the saddle await you, many kilometers of (almost) unexplored gravel roads want to be discovered. But which bikepacking bike is the right one for your tours? Good question, because with the increasing popularity of the sport, the selection of sports equipment is also growing - the range of long-distance bicycles specifically built for bikepacking is now huge!
Many beginners find it difficult to find the right bikepacking bike, because after all, many kilometers and long distances are to be covered on it; a lot of luggage often comes with it. Therefore, the bike must be
- as comfortable as possible
- efficient
- load-bearing
- and durable
We have gathered a lot of valuable tips to help you choose the right bikepacking bike. We compare MTB, gravel bike, and touring bike, and you will also learn what a bike must be able to do to be safe and comfortable over long distances. You won't find specific suggestions recommending a particular model from a specific brand here, as tastes are simply too different based on experience.
What must bikepacking bikes be able to do?
If your demands are not too high, you can theoretically ride into the countryside on any bicycle. And if you want to test the bikepacking trend, you can initially just start riding with the bike you have. Once you get a taste for it and start planning weekenders, overnighters, and the like, you will surely want to get the right bike.
What is bikepacking?
Just for completeness, here is the short difference between bikepacking and a cycling tour:
- Days on the bike and nights in a hotel - this is more like a cycling tour. Here you only need your personal luggage, such as clothing or toiletries.
- In bikepacking, you do not sleep in a normal bed. You sleep on the go in a tent, in shelters, or right under the open sky. Bikepacking is the ultimate outdoor adventure. Here you need camping gear with a tent, sleeping bag, and gas stove.
But feel free to interpret the terms as you wish. What's important is you and a bike, luggage, many kilometers, and lots of fun along the way!
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Therefore, it is important that the bikepacking bike is comfortable enough for many hours in the saddle and that luggage can be stored securely and in sufficient quantity. |
What do good bikepacking bikes cost?
How deep do you have to dig into your pocket to get a good bikepacking bike, and what does "good" even mean? In this context, "good" primarily means "robust and durable," because if you save money at the wrong end here, you risk unnecessary bike breakdowns. You should definitely avoid the very bottom price segment if you want to do longer tours. However, you also don't need to buy the most expensive gravel bike or hardtail you can find. If you are in the lower middle of the price scale If you shop for about 1700 to 2500 Euros, you make a good start. You can then gradually adapt and/or upgrade the bike for your purposes. Make sure your bike has common components from well-known manufacturers, as you can get spare parts for them everywhere.
Which bike is the right bikepacking bike for you?
Most bikepackers are on a gravel bike. Second place in the popularity scale is held by the hardtail. The trekking bike was the travel bike par excellence for many decades, but the gravel has clearly replaced it. And then, of course, there are also the corresponding e-bikes. When choosing your bikepack bike, there are many possibilities, here we present the types of bicycles with their advantages and disadvantages.
Gravel bikes and MTB hardtails are the most popular bikepacking bikes. Images © Cannondale, Orbea
MTB for Bikepacking
On the MTB, bikepacking rides often become a very special adventure, where the unpaved path always tempts you to leave the busy road. MTBs are built for poorly paved paths and loose ground, the geometry, the wide tires with coarse treads, and the well-sprung fork make difficult terrain rideable. With a lot of luggage on board, you might have to bypass the really nasty tracks, but if your bikepacking routes will lead over trails far away from civilization, you can ride a hardtail.
However, we are actually only talking about hardtails, because a fully is usually not efficient enough and too heavy for a long tour (although this is only partially true for newer model years). Of course, you can also buy an e-bike. If you want to use the e-MTB as a bikepack bike, you should pay attention to sufficient range. Especially e-MTBs often have a lot of torque and therefore little range, which is rather unfavorable for long distances.
Gravel Bikes as Bikepack Bike
Gravel bikes are absolutely trendy, and a large proportion of all bikepackers are on a gravel bike. On one of these sporty bikepacking bikes, you can cover a lot of ground well, as they are fast and efficient on the go. Nevertheless, the seating position is not too low. A low seat would be particularly fast, aerodynamic, and efficient, but simply too uncomfortable for long riding times. The tires and the range of the gears allows riding on asphalt and paved paths as well as tours over dirt roads or forest trails. When it comes to equipment, you have a wide range to choose from. With fenders, lowriders, luggage racks, lighting or without. At least there are the necessary mounting points here for all the luxury. The drop handlebars make long tours particularly pleasant, as you can keep changing your grip and thus adjust your seating position.
Note that there are different interpretations of gravel bikes. Some are built for touring or bikepacking, while others are more city bikes or very close to road bikes. This can affect the geometry, but also the equipment or specifications such as tire clearance or the gears can differ significantly. More and more e-bikes are also appearing among gravel bikes, and here too the range is crucial, if you want to go bikepacking with it.
Are trekking bikes still up-to-date as bikepacking bikes?
The trekking bike currently has a somewhat outdated image and completely undeservedly! A touring bike or trekking bike is actually the bike for cycling tours, whether you are bikepacking or not. But gravel bikes are "in", and trekking bikes are therefore (currently) more of a wallflower. These bicycles still offer numerous advantages. They are incredibly robustly built, have a wide selection of gears, long-distance suitable equipment, and countless mounting points for luggage. So if you want to ride long distances and carry a lot of luggage, it's absolutely okay to declare such a bike as a bikepacking bike! However, their disadvantage is the weight. A thick lighting system, fenders, and luggage racks have their advantages, but they make a bike heavy.
Especially in the trekking area, there are many e-bikes, which are well suited for bikepacking. A trekking e-bike usually has a large range, which is of course particularly important for big adventures!
A trekking bike is perfect for bike trips, cycling tours, or as a bikepacking bike. Image © Giant
👍 The right bikepacking bike - our recommendations 👍
Gravel Bikes | MTB Hardtails | Trekking Bikes
Randonneur, touring bike, and expedition bike for bikepacking
There are different names under which you can find bicycles for very long bikepacking tours , such as Randonneur, Touring Bike or Expedition Bike are just a few of them. These bicycles are the true pack mules, and if you want to do bikepacking on a grand scale, you should buy such a bike. Among other advantages, there are two points that are particularly interesting about an expedition bike: To ensure you don't get stranded on the way, they are built to be as durable as possible. They often have repair- and maintenance-friendly equipment, meaning more common parts that are widely available, so you don't have to search long for spare parts. Steel frames are also typical here, as they may be somewhat heavier, but are very durable. If your bikepacking is not taking place in the Black Forest but in Mongolia, a touring bike is a good idea.
The E-Bike for Bikepacking
“The E-Bike” doesn't exist, but there are E-Gravel Bikes, E-Hardtails or Trekking E-Bikes. If you want to ride an electric bike on your bikepacking tours, you should pay attention to two points:
- Your battery needs a lot of range.
- The charging process should be as short as possible , because if you are spending the night somewhere far out, there might not be a power outlet. Then it's practical if you can get a lot of juice into your battery during the lunch break in the beer garden. You might want to invest in the SpeedCharger that some manufacturers offer.
⚡ Bikepacking E-Bikes – our recommendations ⚡
E-Gravel Bikes | E-Hardtails | E-Trekking Bikes | Tiefeinsteiger E-Bikes
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The final word when choosing a bikepacking bike should always be your body. Not the coolest or trendiest bike is the best. The bike on which you feel completely comfortable is a good bikepacking partner! |
Advantages and disadvantages of MTB, Gravel Bike & Trekking Bike
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Gravel Bike |
MTB Hardtail |
Trekking Bike |
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✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
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light |
relatively light |
fully equipped |
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Rideable on roads, dirt paths, and forest trails |
trail-ready |
Rideable on roads, dirt paths, and forest trails |
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Mounting points for a lot of luggage |
you may need to improvise with the luggage |
mounting options for a lot of luggage, luggage rack available |
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fast and efficient |
good cushioning due to suspension fork and thick tires |
good cushioning, suspension fork, and wider tires |
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handlebar allows different positions |
robust |
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❌ |
❌ |
❌ |
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not suitable for off-road |
slower |
not suitable for off-road |
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rigid fork |
less efficient |
mostly heavier |
Overview of advantages and disadvantages of different bicycles
Gearing and Tires – what makes sense on a bikepacking bike?
Especially as a beginner, you can initially rely on the manufacturer when buying a bikepacking bike and start with the components the bike comes with. The more experience you gather, the more you will know exactly what you need for your tours. However, we still have some tips for you:
What kind of gearing do you need?
To save weight and maintenance effort, many bikepacking bikes have a 1x gearing. However, there are also models that come with a 2x or even 3x gearing. Especially with a heavily loaded bike, having many gears is an advantage, but an extensive gearing system also makes the bike heavier. The specific gearing you need depends on the weight of your luggage, but also on possible inclines, the condition of the terrain, or your fitness level.
For beginners and a not too extreme mix of terrains and inclines, a 1x gearing with a 10-42 cassette is proven, and a 2x gearing with an 11-32 cassette is also conceivable. Once you have gained your first experiences, you will quickly notice in which direction you need to expand your gears to find the right setup for you.
Tires
What tires should your bikepacking bike have? Here too, various criteria such as cushioning, grip, speed, or off-road capability play a role that can influence your decision. The crucial buying tip is in front of you, or rather: beneath you. The terrain you prefer to ride on tells you whether you should mount thicker or narrower tires.
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For the right choice of tires, you need to look at the intended terrain! |
- Do you stay mostly on asphalt?
- Do you ride on gravel roads, field paths, and forest paths?
- Are you also off-road?
Basically, thick tires with a lot of tread at home on uneven, loose, and rough tracks, they dampen and have good traction due to the wide contact surface. However, they cost more effort (they have higher rolling resistance, and they weigh more) and never reach the speeds that narrow, smooth tires achieve. A pronounced tread further improves grip. The better paved your path is, the narrower and smoother the tires can be.
How wide the tires can be depends on what fits in your bike frame. For buying a bike, a simple rule applies: The more tire clearance your bikepacking bike offers, the more flexible you are in choosing tires.
➽ Simply read the complete Guide to Tire Width here in the Bike Blog if you need more information on bicycle tires.
Another criterion comes from above – also the weather is an important factor. There are Gravel Bikes rain tires, all-weather tires, and tires that grip optimally on dry ground. It is quite similar for Mountain Bikes . There are mud tires , tires for dry terrain, and all-rounders. Season and weather conditions may require special tires, otherwise all-weather tires are a good compromise.
That high-quality tires with puncture protection or a tubeless setup cause less trouble on the road, we probably don't need to tell you again.
When buying a new bikepacking bike, you should also consider the tire size . For particularly large or small bikepackers, this question may not arise, but if you have the choice, you can choose between rolling efficiency (large tires) and maneuverability (smaller wheels).
What to consider when buying a bikepacking bike
What accessories does a bikepacking bike need? Everything? Or just a little? Image © Marek Piwnicki on Pexels
Racks
Opinions differ on the subject of racks. Many bikepacking bikes have one. Many bikepackers would never be caught with one. Where the truth lies here is hard to say. The fact is: For bikepacking, you need a lot of equipment, and it is quickly and securely stored on a rack . The 65 liters of content, the three-part rack bags No other bicycle bag can achieve what this one can! However, on a gravel bike, front bags, saddle bags, and frame bags are more commonly used. More on that below.
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Our tip: When buying a bike, pay attention to the mounting eyelets. You can easily retrofit luggage racks if there are mounting points on the fork and frame. Which bags you then take with you is a very individual decision; there is certainly enough choice! |
Lighting
Bikepacking... long ride times – it can definitely get dark before you reach your destination. Additionally, you will often be on roads that require a StVZO-compliant bicycle, and for that, you need the appropriate lighting. Whether you have a fixed lighting system with a dynamo or battery lights on the bike doesn't matter, but you need approved lights. Removable bike headlights can also serve as a flashlight in camp, which can be really practical!
Is a headlamp useful for bikepacking?
Many bikepackers recommend a headlamp because it allows you to set up your tent in the dark or prepare your food at night while keeping both hands free. In principle, this is a good idea. However, wearing a headlamp while riding does not replace the required bicycle lighting. Instead, the fluctuating light on your head can confuse other road users more than it provides good visibility and safety.
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Here's another tip for anyone planning to take their bikepacking bike on an international trip: Find out about the laws in the vacation country before you travel, as not all countries have the same rules and regulations for bicycles in road traffic! |
What mounting options does your bikepacking bike need?
There are bike bags that you can simply attach with straps, straps, or clamps. Other bags require a screwed-on luggage rack, but then they are particularly secure and do not wobble or slip.
These options are available on the bikepacking bike for luggage transport:
- The classic luggage rack: Many bicycles have a luggage rack over the rear wheel or at least the screw eyelets for it. There are also rear luggage racks without fixed screws, but they usually have significantly less load capacity.
- Lowrider: You can also attach a fork luggage rack and attach bike bags there. However, your fork must have screw eyelets for this. There are also fork bags that can be mounted without a luggage rack.
- There are frame bags , which you can screw into the eyelets that are actually intended for a bottle holder. However, most frame bags are attached with straps.
- Most bikepackers are traveling with a handlebar roll . Usually, these round handlebar bags are attached without a mount, they come with their own straps or Velcro fasteners.
- Saddle bags are attached without screws, they also come with their own straps, clamps, or holding rubber bands.
If your bike doesn't have the necessary screw eyelets, you can attach bike bags with straps or flexible mounts. Then you might have to retighten them or push them back into place from time to time.
A bikepacking bike often has many mounting points for luggage racks and water bottles. Image © Diamant Rad
Pay attention to the load!
No matter how and where you fix bags... when you're looking for a bikepacking bike, you should definitely pay attention to one key figure. Every bike has an allowable total weight or the permitted load specified. Overloading a bike with too much luggage can cause material damage and premature wear. Even worse would be if the brakes or steering properties no longer cooperate!
How do you make your bike comfortable for long bikepacking tours?
Q: What makes a bike comfortable?
A: Pay attention to the seating positionwhen buying!
The lower you sit, the more sporty, efficient, and aerodynamic you are on the road. Faster, in fact. But this seating position also has disadvantages. You don't see much - and that would be a real shame. Moreover, some backs don't last long in this position. Giving a precise indication of the best geometry is simply impossible, everyone is different, ladies and gentlemen need different frame dimensions, and so on.
⏩ Bikes for Women & Men ⏪
Women's Bicycles | Men's Bicycles | E-Bikes Women | E-Bikes Men
Typically, the bikepacking bikes are not too low taxed, but if your gravel bike is built close to a road bike, the seating position can be quite athletic. It's best to try out different bikes and plan some test rides before a long tour. You can also change and adjust your bike's seating position with different stems, handlebars, saddles, and seat posts.
Saddle
The choice of the saddle is, like frame geometry, purely a matter of feeling. What you feel comfortable with cannot be predicted; you need to take test rides. That was the bad news. The good news is: there is a huge selection of saddles, and you will find one that suits you! If necessary, a saddle fitting or a custom-made one can help. But you should definitely test your saddle, before you set off on a longer tour!
Around the saddle, you can ensure more comfort with two bike parts: First, there are curved seat posts, which shift the entire seating position. The pressure points in the seating area also change with a new seating position. If you notice that every bump lands directly on your discs, a suspended seat post can provide targeted relief.
Handlebars
The more options your handlebar offers, the better. As a gravel biker you are definitely well-equipped – the gravel handlebar offers many different grip options that you can use on the go to change the position of your hands and arms, thus relieving your body. To have more control over the bike on difficult sections, the lower end of a gravel handlebar is often flared out (the handlebar has “flare”). A hardtail does not offer this option with its flat bar, so you should test thoroughly before the first big bikepacking tour: test, test, and test again!
If you want to read a very detailed guide for setting up your cockpit or want to know how to install a better handlebar, you can find one here in the Bike Blog.
Vibrations are a problem
A hardtail has a suspension fork, a gravel bike usually does not. This can really become a problem when bikepacking because the suspension fork and the thick tires of the MTB have a big advantage: they absorb bumps. Gravel bikes are unsuspended, which means every pebble on the path goes directly to your shoulders.
Here are two very affordable options to ensure more comfort on the bikepacking bike:
- Gloves with gel padding
Gloves don't cost much, they are simply a must on long bikepacking tours, otherwise you risk blisters, numb hands, or little grip in wet conditions. But your cycling gloves can make your bikepacking bike particularly comfortable . If they come with a gel insert, they absorb shocks. There are also gloves with foam padding, but many bikers find gel particularly pleasant.
- Handlebar tape with suspension
Looking for "suspension" in handlebar tape might be an exaggeration, but there are definitely cushions! Handlebar tape can be purchased in different thicknesses, a thicker handlebar tape consists of various layers and comes with a shock-absorbing inner layer. Your bikepacking bike becomes particularly comfortable if you don't rely on foam padding here, but wrap a tape with gel insert . Even knobs or a honeycomb structure can compensate for rough terrain. Manufacturers today provide you with a variety of products, and you will surely find a handlebar tape that makes your bikepacking bike more comfortable.
Damping or good grip even in wet conditions – fortunately, you don't have to choose here, high-quality cork tapes can do both!
You can also buy damping grips for your touring bike or MTB. Ergonomic grips with wings offer your hands a larger contact area, many cyclists find this very pleasant. And – admittedly – their coolness factor is close to zero, but bar ends also allow for repositioning on the flat bar.
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Generally, it's not a problem to combine gel grips and gloves with gel inserts, but you should still test the combination before undertaking a long bikepacking trip! Too much gel in your hands can make the steering feel spongy. |
It becomes a bit more expensive if you want to replace the handlebar. But this investment can also be worthwhile, as there are handlebars that kill vibrations and thus provide more calmness in the upper body. Additionally, there are handlebars with all possible dimensions, surely your comfort handlebar is available somewhere. You can change the position of the handlebar with a new stem .
💡 Bicycle parts for a comfortable bikepacking bike 💡
Handlebar tape | Grips | Handlebars | Stem
How do you prepare your bikepacking bike for the big trip?
You have found the right bike, now you can get started? … almost!
Before you spend several hours in the saddle, you should definitely test, test, and test some more! Ordering a bikepacking bike and starting directly from the box onto a cycling long-distance path can really become a fiasco! Therefore, one last tip at this point: Buy your bike well in advance of the tour, so you can take test rides, adjust everything accordingly, and replace parts if necessary. For your already existing bikepacking bike, the rule is: Check it before the trip and don't neglect maintenance and care, so you reduce the risk of breakdown. We wish you lots of fun out there and chain on the right!
Title image © Teemu R on Pexels
