The varied definitions of ‘Bikepacking’

The term bikepacking has recently acquired a variety of meanings and connotations, not all of which are appropriate or consistent. I’ve broken down these varied meanings into 4 explicit definitions and I explain which are more useful and how they have evolved.

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RedShift Quick-Release Aerobars

The RedShift Quick-Release Aerobars allow cyclists to frequently switch between riding with or without aerobars. They are quite comfortable and reasonably adjustable, but the adjustability wasn’t sufficient for me and I always leave my aerobars mounted, so the extra weight of the quick-release mechanism is unnecessary.

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Bike setup & packing list for the SUCH bikepacking race

Here are the details of my bike setup and equipment list that I’ll use in the Swiss Ultracycling CHallenge race next week. I’m very picky about everything that I take on an ultra-distance bike race, but I’m not a weight weenie, I prefer practicality and to be adequately prepared for most situations.

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The problems with “gravel” versions of drop handlebars and some better solutions

There is a major recent trend for gravel bikes to be equipped with non-standard shapes of drop handlebars: flared bars, riser bars, and dual-level bars. I explain why I wouldn’t recommend any of these odd handlebar shapes over using a standard drop handlebar of the preferred width and an appropriate-height stem. I instead give better solutions for how to achieve each of the goals of these oddly-shaped bars while using a standard drop handlebar.

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Recommended crank length to avoid cycling discomfort

Over two-thirds of cyclists are using cranks that are longer than recommended. Using cranks that are too long can cause cycling discomfort and injuries, especially when riding longer distances, due to excessive articulation of the knee and hip at the top of the pedal stroke; using cranks that are too short is far less likely to cause problems. I give general recommendations on what crank lengths are suitable for people in various height ranges.

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2017 Indian Pacific Wheel Race

The 2017 Indian Pacific Wheel Race IPWR or Indy-Pac was a self-supported, ultra-distance bikepacking race across Australia. It has been held in subsequent years as a Ride instead of a Race. The fixed route is about 5,500 km long and goes from the shore of the Indian Ocean near Perth to the Pacific Ocean in Sydney. The race attracted a lot of attention partly due to the big names in the sport all racing against each other, but ended with the tragic death of Mike Hall.

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Trans Am Bike Race 2014, 2015 & 2016

The Trans Am Bike Race is a self-supported, ultra-distance bikepacking race across the USA. The fixed route is about 4,300 miles (6,900 km) long and goes from Oregon to Virginia. This article includes reports of the first 3 editions of the race in 2014, ’15 and ’16, including details of how Lael Wilcox became the first woman to win it overall in 2016.

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Gear Ratios page receives major overhaul

Many gearing options have become available since the Gear Ratios page was written in 2016 that make it easier to get lower gearing on road bikes. This includes super-compact gravel cranksets, 12-speed systems, and single-chainring setups. I therefore re-wrote the page to be clearer and include all of the latest options including extensive tables of all useful cassettes.

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