Gear Up for Adventure: A Beginner’s Guide To Bikepacking
Bike touring has been around as long as bikes have. Bikepacking, on the other hand, is relatively new—at least by definition. Discerning the difference between the two might seem a bit esoteric at first; they both share some fundamental similarities of taking your bike on multiday adventures, but backpacking is generally accepted to be the more adventurous, self-reliant type of fun, made possible by the latest, minimalist gear that can all be fit on just the bike itself, without racks or trailers. “Bikepacking consists essentially of riding considerable distances and crossing vast expanses of wilderness in full autonomy on gravel roads, dirt tracks, and trails with a strong emphasis on minimalism,” says Pierre Bouchard, who may well be one of the best authorities on the subject. Along with his partner…