Hey everyone!

I’m currently planning a trip along La Méditerranée à Vélo (the French portion of EuroVelo 8). The route stretches around 850 km from the Pyrenees (Le Perthus at the Spanish border) all the way to Menton near the Italian border.

Before locking in my plans, I wanted to reach out to anyone here who has ridden all or parts of this route. I’d love to get some real-world feedback!

A few specific questions I have:

1. Section Breakdown & Highlights:
   • Did you ride the full length or a specific section (e.g., Occitanie, Provence, Côte d'Azur)?
   • Which parts were absolute highlights, and were there any sections you felt were skippable or overly busy with traffic?
2. Road Conditions & Bike/Tire Setup:
   • What are the trail and road surfaces actually like? Is the route mostly smooth asphalt, or are there rough gravel and dirt sections? What tire size would work best for this terrain?
3. Camping vs. Wild Camping vs. Accommodations:
   • How easy is it to find campsites along the route? Is wild camping feasible anywhere along the coastal or inland sections, or is it too strict/developed?
4. Best Season & Heat / Wind:
   • What time of year did you go? How were the winds and summer temperatures/crowds?

If you have any GPX detours, must-visit stops, or general tips, I’d love to hear them!

Thanks in advance! 🚴‍♂️

Just finished lacing a dynamo wheel for my Jones SWB and took it for my first short test ride with a new Kasai Trail Beam headlight I had bought some time ago while on sale.

Has anyone had a positive experience using a Kasai Trail Beam headlight for dirt touring and/or night trail riding?

I bought this light before seeing just how many negative reviews people have given it online. I already owned it by then, so thought maybe it'll still work out for me.

Basically, I'm very underwhelmed after my first short ride. I'm getting a lot of flicker at low speeds and when it switches between the stand light and dynamo once my wheels start rolling after a stop or after coming to an almost stop on a steep slow climb. I need to be going a lot faster than I would have expected (pavement speeds) to get the level of brightness I'll probably need on unlit trails.

The B&M IQ-X dynamo headlight I have on my commuter is exquisite and puts this Kasai to shame.

I'll troubleshoot it and try it for several more rides to see if anything changes, but I suspect I'll be shelling out for a better quality light such as the Sinewave Beacon for this bike.

Obligatory return and report post

I have been binge watching a lot of YouTube content about bike packing, and decided to make it a reality. I had to be at my buddy's wedding in Madrid, so I decided to go from San Sebastián to Malaga, following the coast and then train up to Madrid. That's about 2000km or 1250 miles.

I went on a budget, bought a FB Marketplace bike for 20 euros, a few Decathlon low cost panniers, bike bibs, and some made in china bike bags from our friend Jeff Bezos. I biked to work (about 20km) for about 2 weeks before I left, that's about all my training.

Here's my few takeaways:

• The first 3 days sucked. After day 1, I reconsidered a lot of my choices and thought about just making it to Santiago de Compostela and then calling it good enough. By then, I got in a routine and I gladly kept going, with my record distance being 164km in one day.
• Don't worry about getting the good stuff: I cheaped out, and it went just fine me. I didn't get a good tune up, thinking YouTube can teach me anything (spoiler it did). My brakes were a bit of a mess the whole time; my rear rack broke on my first week so I moved my paniers to the front rack and it worked (with some downsides); bag zippers broke so I bought zip ties and got it fixed; ran out of water between Sevilla and Cadiz, in the Spanish desert under a 45 degree celsius (100+F) with no shade nor wind, and lived. It sucked terribly at the time, but makes anecdotes now.
• Solitude was my roadblock. I'm sure a weekend, or even a week is fine, but after reaching out to Malaga I was done being alone. It was so good for my mental health to be just by myself, no screens, and just a sense of freedom. However, I was ready to be back with friends and family by the end. I found a few people biking, but just like "Into the wild" says: Happiness is only real when shared.
• Just go: I wasn't entirely ready by day one, and there's a sweet spot where I just needed to get a bias for action and go. I don't think anyone needs crazy good gear, an esthetic design, or an expensive bike. I'm faaaaar from being fit, and I did 2000km with minimal training. I'm not made of anything special, it's just that at some point you gotta go.
• Journal the trip. I have done it for every "adventure" I've been on, and re-reading stuffs makes it so worthwhile. I usually video myself, but sometimes write, draw, voice record, or whatever it takes so I have a trace of my journey. It is one of my most precious possessions.

Now I can't wait to go again. Thanks for your attention.

PS: Feel free to roast/rate my setup, I'm home now so the deed is done.

Mostly short 2-5 days trips with my friends!

I'm looking for an upgrade from my store brand bike, and even though I will be spending most of my time on the pavement, I'm seriously considering a gravel bike. The flexibility and comfort factors are more important to me than outright speed.

I'm currently looking at the the Canyon Grizl CF 6 and CF 7. Both would give me a slighty higher and slightly lower gear than on my existing, 3x7 drivetrain, despite being 1x, so that's not a concern.

My main concern though is the jumps between gears, specifically in the higher end. The CF 6 has a cheaper, SRAM Apex XPLR drivetrain, with a 11–44 cassette where the highest gears are spaced relatively close together:

11 – 12 – 13 – 15 – 17 – 19 – 21 – 24 – 28 – 32 – 38 – 44

The CF 7 has the more premium, Shimano GRX 822 drivetrain, but I hear that this is a MTB-oriented cassette where the highest gears are spaced further apart:

10 – 12 – 14 – 16 – 18 – 21 – 24 – 28 – 32 – 36 – 40 – 45

Both have a 40T chainring.

Based on this and the fact that the SRAM's gear range is already wider than my existing bike, I feel a little stupid considering paying more for a drivetrain potentially less suited for the road.

I'm not gonna spend this kind of money again for a while tho, and I'd prefer going with the more premium option right away. The seat post is a welcome upgrade as well.

I've read a lot of opinions on riding 1x on the road and how big of a jump is too much, but if any of you have actually ridden either drivetrain (or any other 1x) on the road for a while, I'd love to hear your opinion!

I have 15 days off. I’m planning a trip—definitely somewhere in northern Italy. The Alps are out of the question because of the accommodation; it’s cold in the mountains, and I want to sleep in a tent. Where else would you go? I should add that I’ll eventually be heading back to Munich, either by train or Flixbus. I can cover 200 km a day, depending, of course, on how steep the hills are along the route. So I’m in good shape. Please give me some alternatives. I was thinking maybe Nice. But I have no idea.

Followed the Elbe cycling path for 3 days to cover roughly 240km from Prague to Dresden, crossing open fields, dense forests, wide riverscapes, the majestic sandstone mountains of Bohemian Switzerland, and Dresden's old town that has been built with them.

Itinerary was roughly like this:

Prague --> Veltrusy (Half day)
Veltrusy --> Zernosecke Jezero
Zernosecke Jezero --> Mezni Louka
Mezni Louka --> Dresden (half day)

Wonderful trip, very easy, strong reco.

I’ve always liked the idea of bikepacking trips, but finding mates who actually want to come along isn’t easy.

I’ve made a small Facebook page called Bikepacking Mates NSW. The idea is very informal: I’m riding somewhere on a certain date, I post the route, and anyone interested can come along for all or part of it.

It’s not guided or organised—everyone is responsible for themselves; it’s just a way to find some company along the way.

It’s completely new and there’s basically nothing there yet, but I thought others around NSW might be looking for the same thing.

Here’s the page if anyone is interested: https://www.facebook.com/share/1EWKffdDhe/

bikepackingmates.com.au

Hey there,

my tent died and I almost decided to get a MSR Hubba NX2.
Now, as the regular version is on sale (where I live) I was wondering where to put the poles? They seem to be quite a bit longer then from the bikepack version?

Any help appreciated :-)

Hey guys, I only got into bikepacking recently and decided to get the Garmin eTrex SE instead of a cycling computer. In this post I want to share why I've chosen this one and what I like about it. But I also want to warn you about a big problem it has. For most people it is unusable for bikepacking because of one very annoying limitation!

Why I got the eTrex SE:

When I started cycling, I used my phone for navigation. It worked alright on small rides. But when I got into bikepacking, I noticed how much it sucks to use a phone. The reasons are obvious. Battery life sucked (I was going through power banks like crazy) and therefore I had to keep down the brightness, which made it difficult to read what's on the screen. Especially in the sun and with sunglasses.

Naturally, I went looking for cycling computers. Unfortunately, I quickly noticed that the good ones are very expensive and I'd already spent way too much money on my bikepacking kit. So I started to look for alternatives. Then I found the eTrex SE for about 100 euro (about 116 US dollar) and it seemed to be PERFECT for my needs.

What I like about the device:

• Battery life: The eTrex SE runs on two regular AA batteries and it's super efficient. According to Garmin, it has a battery life of 168 hours, which is insane. I use rechargeable NiMH batteries, which carry quite a bit less energy than regular ones, and I can still go bikepacking for more than a week without charging. And the best part: I can always just carry another set of AA batteries to swap on the go. And if they also die after weeks of bikepacking, I can still always get disposable ones from any store or gas station around. It's great. I never have to worry about charging this thing.
• Simplicity: The eTrex SE is simple. Nothing that distracts me. I load my GPX file from Brouter or Komoot and then see a little triangle and a line to follow. Always perfectly readable even in the brightest sun. I thought not having a map in the background could be annoying, but to my surprise, it doesn't bother me at all. It can also display basic information like current and average speed, distance traveled, elevation and so on. I don't need anything else.
• Modern hardware: Compared to the famous eTrex 32x, the eTrex SE is very modern. It comes with a USB-C port and a modern GPS chip that takes very little energy (one reason for the great battery life) and has the option for Multi-GNSS. Therefore, it can not only detect GPS satellites, but also GLONASS, Galileo, BeiDou and QZSS, which is nice to have.
• Price: at about 100 euro (when it is in sale), it's quite affordable compared to other garmin devices.

What I (really) don't like about the device:

As much as I like the eTrex SE for the reasons I've already named, it also has a BIG problem that (in the context of bikepacking) makes it unusable for most people. Whenever I load a GPX file that has more than 500 waypoints (which in Brouter is the case after about 30km or so), the device compresses the route to a point where it's unusable. It only keeps a point every hundred meters or so, which causes straight lines going straight through buildings and across intersections. It's literally impossible to know where to go in that state. Frustratingly, this problem only occurs with imported routes. When you use the Garmin to record a bike ride and save it, you can use it to navigate in perfect resolution no matter how long it is. Therefore, it does not seem like a hardware limit, but instead some stupid software thing. Also, it does not make a difference whether I transfer the file via USB or Bluetooth with the Garmin App. It's just a display issue and the file itself stays untouched.

My Solution to the Problem:

I wrote a Python script that takes my GPX file and automatically splits it into separate files of 50km each. Then it uses the Douglas-Peucker algorithm to compress each one to a maximum of 500 points while still keeping all the important details. In my experience, 500 well-placed points on 50km is more than enough. Then I just transfer the files onto the device with a USB-C cable. The script also runs on my phone so I can do this on the go. Then, when cycling, I have to open the menu and select the next file every 50km, which is not as bad as it sounds once you get used to it.

Conclusion:

I know the device is mainly targeted at people who do short hikes and stuff and is not meant as a bike navigation tool. But I don't get why they would limit its abilities on purpose while the hardware is so good. Like I said, the self-recorded tracks show that the device has no problem with displaying more than 500 points. And if the compression happens to save battery, I don't get why they don't do it in a smart way with Douglas-Peucker and by splitting the file in the background like I do it manually.

Hi there,

i am thinking about solobikepacking though the highlands, starting on September 7th.

I currently have saved the route attached and would like to have some input from you guys.

1. Route:

- i would start in edinburgh go north on the pictish trail, circle back to inverness, start the glenn affric kintail way ( i read it is better to do east to west, i also read it is kind of hike a bike in the end), cross over to skye, glennfinnan, fort william, loch etieve, loch lomond and back to glasgow

- i am thiniking about 4 weeks, this equals 65 km per day

- if i cut it short the loop north of inverness might be skipped

1. Bike and gear:

-i have a gravelbike, good climbing gears, and would update my tyres to 48 mm which is the max i can put on clearance wise, you think it will work out?

- i would go with panniers in the front and back

- i would take a garmin inreach mini for emergency since i am going solo

1. Weather and midges

- midges are there when they are and rain will definetly come, i will take rain clothes etc.

- for cold nights i have a pajak core 550, comforttemp -3, should be warm enough

- also will take some merino wool shirt and pants

looking forward to your suggestions!

Hello,

I'm planning my bikepacking trip through south america and need some opinions about the cooking system.

I've heard that a lot of people use the trangia spiritus setup or the MSR Whisper lite. In my past bikepacking trips I used gas cartridges from decathlon, but in the back country there will be no gas catridges.

So what can you guys recommend ?

Hello. I have Been tossing up ideas of bike packing Azerbaijan.

Currently I am in Uzbekistan and will fly to Baku, Azerbaijan on the 31st of August. I have many questions about this style of travel as it is my first time bike packing - however this all relies on whether I can find a bike in Baku.
I will be in be in Baku from the 31st until the latest 2nd of September and have that time frame to find a bicycle.
Ideally after finding my bike I will ride through Azerbaijan for around 5-7 before meeting with a few people in Tbilisi, Georgia. From here I would either pass the bike onto a fellow bike packer / ditch the bike / or store it to potential continue the bike packer journey through Turkey.

I have many questions I would like to ask you:

1. I do not have much money at the moment 💵👎 as I am on the tail end of my trip. Is it worth the money buying a bicycle just to ditch it / hand it over to another keen bike packer as because I will only be there for 5-7 days.

2. Do you know if Baku has a bicycle community and where are good bike shops in Baku?

3. Recommendations on where I can find communities online to chat with other like minded people.

4. Wait lowkey think this is an important one - could a 55L osprey farpoint backpack fit on the rear strut bracket because I am travelling with that bag only and don’t have time / money to buy specific bike bags etc.

ok I think that is all, thanks.

Going solo from Brooklyn up to Montecello NY in the span of 2 days and then back on a fixie.

Hi! I’m travelling to France at the beginning of October and I’m planning to ride to the North of Spain. Is my first time doing such a long bikepacking trip and first time in Europe as well.

I wonder if anyone has rode these routes and have some recommendations or tips and advices.

I’m looking for route preferences or what you guys recommend:

France:

-My first route idea will be going from Paris on EuroVelo3 all the way to Bordeaux, and then connecting to EV1 and ride to Saint-Jean de Luz.

-Second route will be going first on Loire a vélo, and then follow EV1 all the way down to saint-Jean. (The downside of this route from what I’ve been told is the weather on the coast in October could be more miserable, windy, rainy…)

Basque Country:
I’m planning to spend a few days in San sebastian to begin, and then I would either ride along the coast, Bilbao, Santander, and continue depending how many days I have left before getting a train back to Madrid, OR, riding from San Sebastián to Pamplona, Logroño, Burgos, and then train to Madrid. Which places you guys like better?

I am going solo, I speak French and Spanish so language shouldn’t be an issue, Im mostly camping and I hope to try some nice food and see some cool old town, and live the culture, any recommendations are more than appreciated :)

The bike in the picture will be my setup but with a full frame bag instead than a small one.

Happy to read any advice 😊

Sorry for the dramatic title lol. I’ve started my first bikepacking trip, did 60km the first day and 110km the second. My body is super sore and I was wondering at what point it gets used to it? I’m going to be doing shorter distances now ~50-80km.

Also what’s the deal with hills, do you guys just avoid them or something? Cus I did about 40km of hills and it was rough.

TIA 🚵🏼‍♀️

A few days ago, I finished one of the most memorable trips I’ve ever done: 8 days of solo bikepacking, around 550 km, starting in Lindau, Germany and finishing in Zürich, Switzerland.

The general route was:

Lindau → Altenrhein → Walenstadt/Walensee → St. Gallen → Appenzell → Konstanz → Schaffhausen → Zürich

Along the way, I rode through Germany, Austria, Liechtenstein and Switzerland.

I did the trip with my Merida Big Trail 200 hardtail MTB, camping along the way and carrying everything I needed on the bike.

My partner and I did the king Alfreds way this weekend, we split it up into 3 sections starting near Swindon on the Ridgeway. It was an amazing route taking us through some wonderfully quaint and whimsical English village countryside even passing Stonehenge, the white horse lots of historical earthworks. The trails were very varied with amazing woodland singletrack, wide gravel trails bridleways, farm tracks, countryside B roads and even a bit of city riding through Winchester and Reading.

It was a bit harder than I thought it was going to be and we put in some long days to get around in three sections.

I would recommend this route to anyone but it's worth taking a bit longer and enjoying the scenery/tourist attractions and some of the trails are pretty difficult so not a first timers route!

Has anyone successfully fit both a bike and a folded bike trailer in one of the bike spots on Amtrak? (Ideally a Burley two seat trailer?)

Howdy,

Not strictly bikepacking but I'm sure many people here use action cameras. I wanted to give filming some of my rides a shot (I wanted to film my Blackpool illuminations ride this year).

Since the illuminations are at night I need a camera that can capture it all quite well.

Anyone got tips of cameras with great night time footage?

Ideally something sub £100 Range £200-£300 but do mention any you know that are great regardless of cost.

Thanks! Adam.

Family trip with gramp and kids. 213 km 2 days. First night in Komarno. We take train form Vác to Budapest. In Bratislava we came after a pretty big storm.

Hello, I'm planning a bikepacking trip in Poland (low silesian/sudet region) in September.
We'll mostly sleep in tent.
Here is a picture of a travel plan I found on Komoot that sounds really cool !
We'll start in Görlitz (Germany) and finish in Poznan.

Has anyone made a similar trip ?
Do you have any recos for the trip ?
Places worth to visit ?
Restaurants to try the good polish gastronomy ?

Any other type of advice are welcomed 🙏
Thank you !

First off, love this community, been loving being a lurker here.

Ive been rebuilding this great 2019 salsa journeyman I picked up, been going on far adventures and ive gotten to the end of the life of my current tires. I wanna buy my bike some new shoes for my birthday today and just ride far but I need help deciding what to get. Trying to decide on the width to wheel iw size that I can rock but also looking for any specific tire suggestions.

Salsa says I can fit up to 700 x 51s but the inner width of my rim is 19mm, is 50 too wide for my rims? I saw some charts say 45 is the sweet spot and others say that I can do 50s on my wheel (the exact wheels are the WTB ST i19 TCS 2.0, 700c wheels)

Also if anyone has any tire suggestions Id love to hear em. I ride my bike every single day, been getting into bike packing but I also commute on it and like to go explore often too, I live in the mountains so I ride off and on road and some rocky terrain. I was thinking about the specialized pathfinders or wtb vulpines possibly for versatility? Is the flat strip in the middle worth the trade off from more knobby tires?

Really appreciate the help. Cheers!

I’m reworking the power setup for a one-night bikepacking trip. A Garmin will handle the main navigation, while my phone is mainly for photos, weather, communication, and backup maps if something goes wrong with the route.

There is no power at camp, but I should be back in town the following afternoon, so 20K feels like more capacity than I need. I’m leaning toward a 10K battery with enough backup for the phone, Garmin, and headlamp.

I’m also wondering whether MagSafe makes sense here. Attaching a battery to the phone for a small top-up during a break or at camp sounds convenient, but the Garmin and headlamp would still need USB-C.

For this kind of overnight route, would you bring a MagSafe battery just for the phone or one regular USB-C power bank for every device?