Preparing your first bikepacking trip – Practical guide

How do I find routes for a bikepacking trip?

The chosen route, commonly known as the trace, can be on road or gravel. Gravel routes are generally a mix of road and trail. The technicality of gravel depends on the region you choose. Don’t forget, on gravel you can always put your foot down!

The easiest way to get started is to retrieve existing traces:

• Many tourist offices have developed gravel routes suitable for bikepacking, which you can find on their websites.
• Komoot develops collections that you can find directly with your search engine.
• Komoot has also created an “itineraries” option , allowing you to retrieve routes around a given point.

The next step is to plot your own routes… Be careful, it can be very addictive! And don’t forget that the first route may not be perfect, but it won’t matter – you’ll have stories to tell! In bikepacking, there’s always the unexpected, and that’s what gives you a taste for adventure!

Which bike to choose?

Bikepacking promotes a new, lighter and sportier way of traveling. That’s why gravel bikes are the best choice. Its versatility means it can be ridden on roads as well as gravel. Its lightness also means it can be carried or pushed over obstacles or difficult passages. It’s also a great way to have fun, playing with the terrain on bumpy trails and feeling safe at the same time.

When choosing a gravel bike, look primarily at the following 2 elements. The choice will then depend mainly on your budget and the use you wish to make of it.

• The frame (and fork) component:
  • Carbon is the lightest, but also more fragile and more expensive. It is favoured for gravel racing.
  • aluminum is versatile and the least expensive material.
  • steel is favored in adventure and travel gravel because it can be repaired anywhere in the world and last a lifetime, but it’s heavier.
  • titanium is lightweight and reputedly unbreakable, but very expensive.
• The groupset: Shimano , SRAM and Campagnolo share the market, with entry-level and premium groupsets. Here’s a comparison table to help you make your choice.

How do I take the train from home?

The easiest and most enjoyable way to start bikepacking is from home. However, leaving a big city and its urbanized surroundings is not necessarily the most convenient. We therefore advise you to hop on a TER or regional train. Travelling by train by bike is always folkloric and not always comfortable, but once you’ve got the hang of it, you won’t be able to do without it!

Most TER and regional trains accept unassembled bicycles in the carriages provided, without reservation and at no extra cost. However, the regulations of some regions are becoming stricter in view of the advent of bicycle travel, and sometimes require prior reservation, particularly in order to keep track of the number of bicycle travelers. Be sure to check the rules of the region you wish to visit before setting off.

Once you’ve got the hang of it, you can move on to the second stage, enabling you to go further afield, or come back from further afield: the TGV.

What clothes should I bring?

When it comes to bikepaking, you have to be smart to pack light! We use the 3-layer system (breathable, insulating and protective). For several days, here’s a list of recommended clothing:

• Down jacket
• Hardshell rain jacket
• Ultra-light windproof jacket
• Legwarmers
• Sleeves
• 2 merino jerseys
• 2 shorts
• 1 piece of evening wear
• flip-flops for the evening

What equipment do you need to bivouac?

You’ve chosen bikepacking for adventure and your goal is to spend every night or a few nights outdoors (wilderness bivouac or camping)? You’ll need :

• 1 tent OR if you wish to sleep under the stars: 1 bivy (waterproof oversack)
• 1 sleeping bag
• 1 inflatable mattress
• 1 survival blanket that can be used as a tarp.

The benchmark for affordable, quality bivouac gear is Décathlon. At the higher end of the market, bikepackers often have a SeaToSummit sleeping bag and mattress, as well as a Sol3 bivy.

What equipment do you need for eating and cooking?

For a first bikepacking trip, it’s easier to start without carrying any kitchen equipment. You can do your shopping at the end of the day to prepare a cold meal for the evening, or go to a local restaurant.

Here’s what you’ll need for a light option:

• a small, very compact 10L backpack, which you unroll only when you’re running errands (easy to find at Décathlon, for example)
• a knife that cuts well (Opinel, Laguiole or Swiss Army knife)
• a set of cutlery

For the full autonomy option, here’s what you need to add:

• built-in stove(Jetboil type)
• if there are several of you: plates.

How do you transport your bikepacking equipment without being too bulky?

The choice of panniers depends entirely on the degree of autonomy you desire throughout your adventure: do you want to bivouac or sleep in a hotel? Do you want to visit restaurants and bakeries, or cook for yourself? To begin with, choose the main panniers:

• Saddle bag
• Handlebar bag
• Food pouch (small bag for snacks or other items, such as a camera)

Depending on your wishes, and if you decide to go away for longer than a weekend, you can add..:

• Frame bag
• Fork bags

Get started!

And now you know everything! Adventure off the beaten track, nights out, that feeling of being alone in the world, in a region you’ve never been to before: it’s the call of a wind of freedom and autonomy, of adventure and the forest, it’s time to go! If you want to take the plunge with confidence, you can also take part in organized bikepacking events, where you’ll meet new friends and get the chance to learn the ropes. But don’t forget that the heart of bikepacking is that nothing happens as planned – it’s an adventure, so go for it!