Bikepacking what to pack
Sharing his personal experience from the South Lakes 100, Dan Thompson takes us through his bikepacking kit for a two day 100 mile mountain bike ride.
The South Lakes 100 is a low key 100-mile course to complete in a bike packing style. Dan rode a Sonder Transmitter and decided to load it with Alpkit bikepacking bags and kit for a 2 day hit.
Over to Dan:
"This is meant as a guide to what I personally used, lots of other riders went lighter and many more carried more gear. I felt I got a good balance of maintaining a light bike, using the dropper post, keeping the front end light enough to still lift and manual through obstacles and comfort.
There were a few items I carried but didn't use but it was nice to have the extra security/comfort had the weather/conditions changed.
Initially, this was the set up I selected, with a large fuel pod on the frame. I eventually ditched the fuel pod and the contents went into my rucksack instead...
After last-minute kit faffing and chatting to other riders on the morning of the event, the bike looked like this
I'd elected to ride the Sonder Transmitter to see how it faired, I already knew it to be a very competent bike for trail centres and for shorter blasts in the Peak District and Yorkshire, how would it fare with long days, technical climbs and with the extra weight of luggage.
Kit List:
Sonder Transmitter GX1 with Yari and Reverb
Tyres: Front: WTB Bridger 3.0, Rear: WTB Trailblazer 2.8
Saddlebag: Enduro Pack Black
- 2 x 27.5 x 3ins tubes
- Lovemud Trailside 16
- Lovemud Tyre levers x 3
- Spare disc brake pads x 2 sets
- Blip rear light
- Toilet paper (in ziplock bag)
- Spare gloves
Top tube bag: Fuel Pod Medium
- Arro Windtop
- Opinel knife
- iphone in waterproofbag
- Draught excluder
- Energy gels
- Basic first aid
- Money/cards
Stem Cells: 1 x Stem Cell and 1 x Stem Cell drybag (sample)
- Haribo/M&Ms/sandwiches/anything else I could get
- Camera
- Hydration tabs
- Spare batteries for cameras
- Muon Head Torch
Handlebar Bag: Airlok Dual 20L and Fat Roo
- Mountain Ghost sleeping bag
- Lumo sleep mat
- Hunka Bivi Bag
- Rig 3.5
- Fredd 4 guylines
- 4 Apex pegs
- OS map, compass
- More food and snacks
Rucksack: Gourdon 20L
- Gravitas jacket
- Laika long sleeve
- Koulin Tee
- Mytimug 650
- Kraku and gas/lighter
- Concertina
- TiFoon
- Prototype insulated jacket (the yellow thing).
- Large volume pump
- Shock pump
- 1.5L hydration system
- Food and coffee.
Bar mounted devices:
- Garmin Edge 500
- Go Pro Hero 3
- Exposure Toro 7 light
Specialized Helmet, Oakley Jawbone glasses and Joystick 10 light
You can read the full Daring Deed here...