How is a backpacking bike different to a
touring bike? Is it just the bags or is there something unique about the frames
themselves? I can already sense the keyboard warriors informing me that you
can go touring or backpacking on any bike.
Well, that's 100% true but it doesn't mean we shouldn't optimize a bike for our
purposes. After all, you could drive a Ferrari around the world, but is that
really the best car for the job at hand? This video will be a comprehensive
overview of the eight bike distinctions that separate a touring and backpacking
bike. And here is your quick summary. Number one: Bikepacking bikes are less
overbuilt. Touring bikes are designed to handle very heavy loads. The safety test
protocol for most touring and bikepacking frames is usually around a
rider and equipment weight of about 130 kilograms, but this safety testing sets a
floor, not a ceiling. While bikepacking bikes are designed closer to the minimum,
top-tier touring bikes are regularly designed to handle more weight - even if
the manufacturer doesn't state it anywhere. That said, we will soon see touring
bikes advertising higher maximum weights as bike testing companies are now
providing certification right up to 180kg. A bike
designer not only needs to engineer their frames for the heaviest expected
load of any of their customers, but they need to carefully select components that
will not break. As the wheels are the most likely component to fail on a
touring bike, you will usually see very heavy-duty rims and higher spoke counts
than on a bikepacking bike. The downside to an over-built bike is that it's heavier.
Most backpacking bikes are in the 10 to 14 kilogram range, while similarly priced
touring bikes are 14 to 17 kilograms. It's worth noting that the components of
your bike don't really care whether you weigh 50 kilograms and carry 40
kilograms of luggage, or whether you weigh 80 kilograms and carry 10. However,
the location of the weight does matter. If your equipment load is high, your
frame needs to be stiff too. Number two: Bikepacking bikes usually have less
frame stiffness. Frame stiffness usually goes hand-in-hand
with an overbuilt bike. The top tube and down tube are the most important frame
tubes as they are the medium that resists most of the twisting forces
between the front and rear luggage. Touring bikes regular use the largest
diameter, thickest wall tubing. As the loads are more minimal on a bikepacking
bike, frame designers can opt for lighter frame tubes, which aren't as stiff but
result in a more lively ride when you go out pedaling without any of your luggage.
I categorize liveliness as a frame that has noticeable but very minor amounts of
frame flex. Optimizing the liveliness of a bike requires a look at the riding
style, power output and weight of a rider. It's essentially impossible to create a
lively feeling bike that is also stiff enough to carry a heavy front and rear
load. You can, however, use a lighter built frame and carry a load at just one end,
or you could carry your gear in a trailer instead. Bikepacking loads can
also be very heavy, especially if you're carrying food for a week and 10 liters
of water. If this is the kind of riding you do, you want to make sure your bikepacking rig is just as stiff as a touring bike. Number three: Bikepacking
bikes have different mounts. The mounts are usually different between touring
and backpacking bikes, but the lines are getting pretty blurry these days. A
touring bike will always have rack and fender mounts, while a bikepacking bike
will only sometimes have them. A bikepacking bike will almost always have
a few cargo cage mounts, while a touring bike may not. Additionally, bikepacking
bikes can have mounts for a direct mount frame pack and top tube bags, along with
occasional mounts on the seat stays and chain stays too. It's pretty rare to find
a kickstand mount on a backpacking frame but that's okay - it's easy to lean your
bike to its handlebar with narrow bikepacking bags. A bike with panniers
doesn't lay down as well, so that's why stands a more commonplace on touring
bikes. Number four: bikepacking bikes have shorter chainstays. A touring bike has
long chainstays for three reasons. Number one: There is usually a
significant rear weight bias due to the larger rear bags, and longer chainstays
help to shift the centre of mass further forward. Number Two: By extending the wheelbase you get a stability boost at speed with a heavier
load. And, number three: to make sure your heels don't strike your panniers when
you ride. In comparison, bikepacking bikes usually have 20-30 millimeter
shorter chainstays given the differing bag designs and low expected loads,
bikepacking bike shouldn't have any problems with heel strike or ride
stability. The shorter chain stays will make the bike feel more nimble and it
will also be easier to lift your front wheel over obstacles. If you've ever
heard people say that short chainstays make a bike accelerate faster, well, it
could be true when you factor in a handful of grams saved from the frame, but
generally, it's a pretty nonsensical claim. Number five: Bikepacking bikes are
usually intended for off-road terrain. Just a quick look through the categories
in my Bikepacking Bike Buyer's Guide and it's clear that these bikes are more
purpose-built for off-road terrain. I classify bikepacking bikes based on the
wheel specification because this is a key factor in determining how capable a
bike will be on off-road terrain. That said, bikepacking bikes can be
purpose-built for the road too - many of the gravel bikes in my book are really just
fat tire road bikes, which makes them the speediest option for a lightweight road
tour. In comparison, a typical bike tour is conducted on much less varied
surfaces, so the handlebar type is usually the best place to start when
you're choosing a touring bike. There is a lot of crossover between bikes! Heavy
duty off-road bikes typically feature in both of my books and provided gravel
bikes have the mounts for racks and fenders,
they often work their way into the "light touring" section of my touring book.
Number six: Bikepacking bikes have higher climbing gear ratios, sometimes. A touring
bike should ideally have a climbing gear of 20 gear inches or less. A bikepacking
bike can get away with a higher climbing gear as you are likely to be carrying
less weight up a hill. That said, bikepacking bikes are often focused around
off-road riding where the gradients are both steeper and more slippery. As a
result, the best backpacking bikes will have the equivalent climbing gears as a
touring bike, and sometimes less. Number seven: bikepacking bikes use 1X
drivetrains more often than not. Across the majority of the bikepacking bike
categories in my books, 1X drivetrains are definitely the most popular option!
The notable exceptions are 700c gravel bikes which are often built around road
riding - and strangely, 29 inch off-road bikes. 1X drivetrains offer more tire
clearance and shorter chainstays when compared to a front derailleur setup.
While they have larger gear jumps between each gear, on steeper terrain you
won't need to make fine gear adjustments like you do on the road. Number eight: bikepacking bikes use less field serviceable components. The expected bikepacking trip
duration is often shorter than a touring trip. This typically means that you spend
more time around bike shops, so if something goes wrong, you can send parts
in for warranty, obtain spares or get a professional repair. It's common to find
press-fit bottom bracket bearings, suspension forks, hydraulic brakes,
integrated shifters, and titanium or carbon fiber on backpacking bikes, but
these are much less common features on a dedicated touring bike. A touring bike
usually has the most simple parts available that require the basic tools
found in shops anywhere in the world. That said, more complex parts such as
integrated shifters and hydraulic brakes have recently proven to be quite
reliable, so expect to see more of them on touring bikes in the coming years.
So, can a bike be designed for both bikepacking and touring? Absolutely. The Co-op
Cycles ADV 4.2 is an excellent example. The bike uses overbuilt components that
are kept somewhat simple. It has super low gear ratios, is very off-road capable and
has provision for touring racks and fenders, or cargo cage bags. The build is
tough and it shows, with its 16 kilogram weight. The frame geometry is much closer
to a touring bike with a long wheelbase and upright handlebars. You could set the
bike up with panniers for a long tour or alternatively as a lighter and faster
off-road setup. Which bike should you use? I need to
reiterate - you can use ANY bike for touring and backpacking! But if you want
to optimize your setup, you should consider your total load, the surfaces
you will ride, the steepness of the terrain, the bag setup you prefer and
whether you will have access to spare parts or workshops with the appropriate
tools. A decent bikepacking-touring hybrid is an off-road bike that's overbuilt, has generous tire clearances and mounts for racks, fenders and cargo cage
bags. If you like my videos, you can support them by getting a copy of my
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