BIKES FOR BIKEPACKING - how I set up my bike after 75,000 kilometres

In this video, I go through my bicycle setup for bikepacking and bike touring and talk about what makes a good bike for going out on bike trips. It can be difficult to know how to choose a bike for bikepacking, as there are so many choices, but this video should be useful for both beginners and advanced riders. I run through my complete set of component choices and offer several tips and tricks for improving your bike setup, making it more capable, reliable, and comfortable.

I've been cycling around the world since 2015, covering around 75,000 kilometres (46,000 miles) through 71 countries. In that time I've had three different bicycles, but my current bike is by far my favourite. See below for the full list of specifications, and check the various links for more information.

Fork: Fox 34 Float Factory SC 100mm
Saddle: Brooks B17 Narrow Carved
​Handlebars: SQLabs 30X (16° sweep, 780 mm)
Grips: Ergon GA3
Rims: WTB KOM Tough i25, 29"
Tyres: Vittoria Mezcal 29x2.25" (tubeless)
Brakes: Magura MT5 (4 piston front, 2 rear)
Seat post: Redshift ShockStop
Pedals: RaceFace Atlas

If you found this video helpful and would like to give something back, please consider supporting me on Patreon.

If you have any suggestions or additional tips to share, please let me know, and thanks for watching!

0:00 - Introduction
2:18 - What type of bike?
7:02 - My frame: Tout Terrain Outback Xplore
8:40 - Drivetrain: Pinion C1.12
10:50 - Gear range
13:08 - Wheel size & tyres
17:24 - Suspension fork vs. rigid
19:49 - Brakes
20:54 - Handlebars and grips
24:28 - Saddle
26:07 - Seat post
26:58 - Mudguards/fenders
27:25 - Pedals
29:04 - Conclusion

[aurisnow]

Great to hear from someone with real experience and not the typical snob that thinks bikes are so complicated as rockets! "don't care about my leather seat", "don't worry about hydraulic brakes", "tubeless tires are great"... haha. That's the spirit.

[l-upphysicaltrainingover]

Best and most complete and comprehensive information and well thought out opinions and recommendations EVER! On YouTube !!!
So tired of listening to the strange group of riders, so-called adventure riders, who seem to suggest that you need hi tech Lululemon and a $5000 carbon frame bike with Another couple thousand dollars worth of automatic shifters.

A reliable and robust built mountain bike, that is not going to break on you, and offers mounts for all the necessary cross country gear and, Made of steel with robust components, perhaps a gate belt drive taking advantage of German engineering.

Again, thank you very much. Best reviewing all of youtube!

[johngrattan]

I still tour on my 40 year old Claud Butler "Dalesman". Still in love with it, taken it everywhere.

[rickbartley]

One of the best realistic advice videos I’ve personally seen. Well done mate.

[JRd]

Great to hear some real advice from someone with a wealth of experience 👍

[OscarMager]

Completely agree you can get by on any bike, and use whatever you got. Mine is a €799 aluminium Giant Talon mountain bike which I already owned and I converted to a touring bike when I went bike touring first. It still hasn't let me down after 10, 000+ kilometer and indeed rides great on virtually any surface. Love my bike. Great video, thanks for sharing Tristan!

[aresx]

I really enjoy your perspective and experience! So many of the mountain bike channels are about Bike Parks and bling. Not actually riding and adventuring... It doesn't matter how old or outdated the machine, just ride it, maintain it, and love it. Let all the dudes with their bling machines pay for their ski lifts. Not that I have anything against downhill. 😂 If I want to go fast I'll get on my motorcycle. Cheers from Utah. 🍻

[lennart]

Love it. Best video about bikepacking I have seen so far. You did the job first (75.000 km amazing) and then started to talk. That's the way to go. Real wisdom straight forward.

[abuk]

Highly appreciated the introduction suggesting to use gear that you already have! ❤❤❤

[ferdinandgraf]

What a great informative video! Only sharing the most usefull and heavyly tested knowledge. Helps me a lot at 16 with great tours and cycling around the world as the biggest dreams. Maybe one day I'll be in your situation.
You are a big inspiration Tristan, always keep going.

[pyrkol]

Thank you for sharing this wealth of experience, really appreciated.

[alexanderh]

I bought a kona sutra because the geometry fit me well. I have a small frame but it has so many mounting points I can make it work. Very nice video :)

[mikedesrochers]

Just came across your Chanel. Impressed with your take on bikepacking. Keep it up please. I’ll follow

[davehoover]

Just watched this a second time and going to place it in “saved” files as it is that good! Great presentation, great explanation on why you chose one thing over another another. Very useful and nice broad approach without getting too brand specific or gear centric. Enjoy your travels!

[Destide]

I have no plans for tours, but I do a 24-mile round commute through toe-path and single track and all of this was golden upgrade info

[jcassiopeia]

Love your vids and your experience is very much worth listening to you 😀💪 greetings from South Bavaria

[jackcarter]

I agree. I love touring on my mountain bike!

[bardsandwarriors]

Nice setup. I did a lot of utility / carless cycling with similar ideas, under the name bardsandwarriors in the 90s and 00s. I still have not gone touring as I wanted to, and you are inspiring me.

[ChrisRocks-rvtd]

Oh man, this video is like the perfect answer to thousands of questions i had since i "restarted" biking again (after nearly 15 years) with the goal of long distance adventures! And now i know, that i chose subconsciously so many right decisions! Especially what bike i'm going to ride (our bikes have even nearly the same geometry - its like a blessing for me after 1000s of sleepless nights : ))
Thank you so much!
And your explanations are so absolutely understandable and make so much sense for me! Not like so many other "youtubers" who always show you only the best and most expensive parts you will never really need. All about marketing and making money - every video is so over-clean - simply far away from the "real way".
Thanks again for many more very sleepy nights in future (hopefully most of the time in tents : ))
A feq questions i have, if it's ok: what's your height and maybe you know your inner leg lenght and your saddle height? So i could understand more of your geometry/setup and so on : ))
Cheers,
Chris.

[geoffmurray]

Great down to earth and detailed video, cheers mate.