Bikepacking gear: is it stupid?

Racks and panniers:  old school! ugly!




Rackless bikepacking kits: sexy!



But are they stupid?

In some (most?) situations, yes, they are most definitely stupid.


Let's do math:

Option 1 - Revelate Designs, ~30L target capacity

Terrapin Seat Bag Kit + Harness + Saltyroll

      

Total Capacity: 29L
Total Cost: $363 CAD
Total Weight: 1,117g


Option 2: MEC, ~30L target capacity

Planet Bike rear rack (fatbike compatible) + Outdoor research durable drysack (35L)

      

Total Capacity: 35L
Total Cost: $75 CAD
Total Weight: 791g

In summary: in this situation a rackless system is five times more expensive, 40% heavier, and holds less.


So - if you are racing the tour divide with an ultralight kit, sleeping under bridges, no cooking equipment, etc - a state of the art bikepacking system probably is your best bet.

But - if you are touring the divide like a normal person, then I am guessing you will have to start using multiple feed bags, strapping bags to your fork legs, strapping loose shit to your seatbag, etc.  In this situation, here are the pros and cons as compared to an old school rack system:

Disadvantages of rackless:
- less aerodynamic
- worse bike handling
- heavier setup
- more expensive (like 5x)
- heavier
- typically longer packing/unpacking times

Advantages of rackless:
- fashionable

Bikepacking 03: Iceland Fatpacking

TL;DR:  3 weeks, fatbikes, mostly self supported, goal to cross the interior twice, ridiculous winds resulted in only one crossing but many other experiences had.

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At least we didn't cry.  Talking to a friendly single speeding Scotsman at our last camp before the airport, this is what is going through my head.  He tells us of the German couple he found crying on the side of the road.  The solo rider who left his bike and most of his gear in the ditch and hitchhiked out.  The older couple who rode the first day of their two week trip, and then stayed in their hotel for 13 days before riding back.  The young couple who spent three 14 hour days pushing their bikes through windblown sand too deep to ride.

It is windy in this country.

What follows is a short form journal from the trip.  Reading it, it sounds hard.  It was.  But it is a beautiful, wild country which you could spend a lifetime exploring.  I would easily go back - but might do longer day rides from a campervan base.  Or, with skis.  Probably with skis.

Day 1:  Arrived in Iceland at bedtime our time.  6:30 AM local time.  Assembled bikes, left airport into miserable wind driven rain.  Navigation tricky with no maps or cell phone plans.  Fell asleep in ditch beside highway for a few (?) hours.    Weather improved, rode into Reykjavik.  My butt hurts.



Day 2 / Reykjavik: Slept until noon.  Went to Subway.  Went to hot tub and pool.  Feeling pretty good.  Met some people from Kelowna.  Weird.



Day 3 / Þingvellir: Incredible network of cycling paths throughout the capital area.  Headwinds all day down the highway.  Pedaling required to move downhill.  Gorgeous location for a campsite, plus a store which extends our food supply.  Very excited to get on dirt tomorrow. My butt hurts.





Day 4 / F550:  Iceland is awesome.  Incredible riding all day.  Afternoon spent in driving rain and wind.  Took refuge in sheep camp for a few hours, storm did not pass.  Arrived at hut, tried to break in, no luck.  Slept in entranceway.  Crazy winds.











Day 5 / F338:  Moonscapes!  Much easier riding than yesterday across the F roads.  A few major river crossings without incident.  Wind picked up in the afternoon on the highway, we called the day early and set up in another sheep/cattle station hut.  Hydraulic brake surgery successful.







Day 6 / F35:  Insane wind.  9m/s steady, gale force when gusting.  All out effort nets us about half of walking pace.  Rode for an hour, hid behind a bus for an hour, turned around and waited at sheep station for bus.  Arrived at Hveravellir and got a hot meal.



Day 7 / Hveravellir: wind has not died down.  The cycling couple that we passed in the bus a few kilometers down the road from Hveravellir yesterday afternoon arrived this afternoon.  They exhibit thousand yard stares.  We have been in the hot pot.



Day 8 / F35:  wind died down and we made a break for it.  Very cold but we rode 100km+ to get off the highlands and are now in Akureyri.  Stress levels are reduced.  Plan to buy more warm clothes and attempt reverse crossing on F26 (with the wind).





Day 9 / F88: evening ride across the Ash Wastes to begin second crossing.  Have not found any water, hope to find a stream early tomorrow.







Day 10 / F88:  long ride to Askja camp. Many fords, some quite large, no issues.  Majority of riding was through old lava flows and very interesting.  Washboards, but no wind to take issue with.



Day 11 / Viti crater:  unloaded touring today from Askja camp.  Heated volcano crater, no wind, snow biking, excellent day.



Day 12 / Askja camp:  woke up to gale force winds.  Two tents in camp are shredded from a combination of the wind and the rocks that get blown around in the wind.  The wind is not in a favourable direction.  We are concerned about our food supply and have not received favourable condition reports from travelers coming out of the highlands.







Day 12 (later): we have abandoned our attempt at the second crossing.  We made a break south this evening as the wind paused - forecast is for it to start building again tomorrow afternoon.  Incredible ride back to the Dreki hut - 30km/h without pedaling, uphill.  Killer sandstorms.





Day 13 / F88:    90 kms back down F88 today and into Myvatn.  Dreaming of hot food and rental cars.







Day 14 / Myvatn: Rest day.  Showers. Pizza.



Day 15 / Krafla Volcano: excellent unloaded ride to the Krafla volcano formation.  Fun times had on lava flows.



Day 16 / Travel to Reykjavik:  buses and night rides.



Day 17 / Hveragerdi:  wind cancelled ride plans so hiking to hot springs instead.  No hot springs found but gorgeous area.



Day 18 / Vik:  black sand beaches!  Wind speed and direction meant we could have ridden back to Rejkjavik along the beach in a day, provided we abandoned the rental car.  Settled for a shorter ride.





Day 19 / Skogar and Eyjafyallajokull:  amazing ride.  Highly recommended.  Scenic, technical, fun. Best ride of the trip.







Day 20 / South Coast:  the northern lights!  Good way to end the trip.

Fat reduction: the Carver story

As we discovered during our Chilcotins trip, we had a weight problem.  There were a few things we crossed right off of the Iceland packing list, but I kept looking at my bike:  a Surly Necromancer.  It's a great bike - totally bombproof, handles well when loaded down, easy to fix.  Bit it's also nearing 40 pounds.

Dear Surly:  you're great and all, but could you maybe not make your bikes out of cast iron?

I was able to find a used Titanium Carver fatbike for a price I liked the week before we were supposed to leave for the trip.  The backbone of the bike is great, but the bits the bike came with added up to a lot. What follows is the Carver diet story.

The starting point.  (yes,it says "Kona".  It's not a Kona.)



Drivetrain replacement.  I went with an X1 level 1x11 drivetrain to match Caroline's bike for an easier repair situation.  28T ring up front because fatbiking is hard work in any season.

 

Cockpit changes. Way less clutter, which helps with strapping crap to the bike.  Gripshift because it's awesome, and much easier in the winter with mitts on.

 

The final result.  Dropper removed because who droops on a rigid fatbike?  Tires switched from flat and heavy to fast rolling and light.

               

That is one good looking bike.  Let's show you that again:



Iceland, here we come!