A first Trackpacking experience
A Little Introduction
As summer was at its peak,I was melting in my Parisian apartment wanting some nature and some fresh air. My good friend Diego came up with an interesting suggestion: “I’m going bikepacking with a few friends this weekend. Wanna come along?“ I said ‘yes’ without any hesitation, thinking to myself at the same time “I will ask questions later …“
The first thing I did was to look around me and notice the apparent lack of road, gravel or even mountain bikes. Oh yea, that’s right, I ride fixed and for once a gravel bike sounded way better for this kind of adventure. “I’ll just use what I have…“ and the best choice at the time was looking like my trusty Cinelli-Mash work.
Next thing you know, I am all geared up and meeting the others on a Saturday morning in front of the train station. I had slowly bought all the bags for a bike trip: frame bag, handlebar bag and saddlebag. These three are all you need to carry way too much stuff than you actually need. But it’s alright because I can finally use them and they look cool.
We were going for only a one night camp, and I felt that was a good start for someone like me who had never really bikepacked before, apart from some day trips with a picnic in the middle. I was a little bit nervous about keeping up with the pace while riding fixed, whether I am carrying too much stuff and the possibility of hills! The Mash Work I ride as a daily is already pretty heavy, so I was wondering what the end weight, with tools, 2 Liters of water and 3 bags to fit my sleeping, food and gear, would be. The answer was simple: around 14 kilos for a bike that had no light parts whatsoever on it.
And so we pedalled away!
At my “not so big“ surprise, I was the only one riding fixed gear (brakeless) for this adventure. I think we did a little bit over 200km with some gravel but mostly road. Good point: there is not that much traffic on the hottest weekend of summer so roads were clear. Bad point: It was insanely hot and dry all around us. 42°C max for 2 days straight and our path was not really going through a lot of fresh green forests. We made regular water stops Even though I had 2 bottles of 1L each, it was rough! Almost all of us were drinking 12 liters a day, with fresh water being a luxury for the first 10 minutes before it became warm.
Let’s talk gears !
What equipment to bring along is probably everyone’s main concern when going bikepacking for the first time. “Am I taking too much or too little or is this bag gonna rub against my knee for the next 200km ?“ Preparation is key! Get yourself bags that will distribute the weight of all your stuff on your bike as effectively as possible. You don’t have to get super expensive bags, but usually in this field, more expensive also means more durable. You just have to find the right balance between your budget and what’s available on the market for your needs. I wanted to carry absolutely nothing on me (not even a hip pouch) so everything had to fit in the bags. I’m also more of a hammock guy which is a little bit more space-efficient than a tent.
3 bags
One saddlebag for all my sleeping gear: hammock, tarp, sleeping bag, but also my gas stove and titanium mug (in my hand at the time of this shot)
One frame bag for the little bit of extra food I bring around, some cooking gear, and hygiene products.
One handlebar bag on top of my rolling mattress for my phone, my camera, some extra rolls of film and more snacks!
The Mash Work already has 2 bottle cage mounts, so I used those and I added a third one under my downtube to put a storage keg. Since it’s almost impossible to access it while pedaling, I stored all my tools, a first aid kit and 2 tubes to make everything snug in there. Nothing was rattling around apart from that titanium mug cup strapped to my saddlebag to remind everyone that, yes, I’m on an adventure!
But what about the bike ?
Knowing that some gravel roads were part of the deal, and not having another pair of wheels at the time, I just trusted my old pair of carbon-aluminum 404s and slapped some 32c tires on there. Would I go bigger? Not necessarily. If you plan to ride only on paved roads then 28 is completely fine. Since my bike can fit more, I thought why not! But since track bikes usually have a limited tire clearance, you just have to see what is comfier for you. I used my favorite ratio of 49x17 which is perfect for flat areas, not too hard on hills and not too spiny while going down but I would recommend running at least one brake to stop all that extra weight, and also just to save energy.
I was also running SPDs pedals with some MTB shoes and I can safely say: It is a little thing that makes a huge difference. The ability to pull your 14kg bike up the hill with clipless pedals, and to foot-brake on your rear tire with MTB shoes is a big plus for your trip. (You can also do it with pure road clipless shoes, but you are gonna destroy your plastic/carbon sole in a blink of an eye if you foot-brake)
yep , it rained that night ….
So, How was it ?
It was a wonderful experience and I’m so ready to do it again next spring Even with a varied group of riders: one road, one gravel, one single speed, one vintage MTB, one mini cargo and a fixed gear, it was so much fun! The group adopted a nice cruising pace and in the end, it’s safe to say that Trackpacking is a totally legitimate thing. If you know your bike, how to fix a flat and what to take with you to spend the night, then you’re already good to go. Just make sure you have enough rear tire left for those delicious skids down the road!
