What is Bikepacking? by: Jeff Hehn
Many people are familiar with Cycle-touring which is travelling longer distances on paved roads with gear racks and paniers (suitcases for bicycles) on a road style bicycle. Also likely familiar is the activity of Backpacking – which is carrying minimalist gear for overnight or multiday hikes into more adventurous areas. Bikepacking is marriage of these two concepts and allows for venturing further into areas less travelled riding an offroad or adventure bicycle. An adventure bicycle can range from a traditional mountain bike to a gravel bike (road bike with much wider tires) to a dedicated bikepacking rig with additional speciality gear mounting points. There is a broad range of adventures that can be planned - from travelling backroads or trails without camping gear and overnighting in cabins or lodging to completely self-supported multi-day journeys carrying all your own gear and camping out. The desire to carry gear over more rugged terrain has led to an evolution of new bicycles and gear carrying concepts. More info at: https://bikepacking.com/bikepacking-101/
Bikepacking in Saskatchewan can include travelling some quiet chipseal secondary roads (ex Grandora, Floral, Vanscoy Roads); however more typically ultilizes smaller quiet rural roads that are either gravel or dirt double track (prairie trail) and possibly some dedicated pathways or single track trails in certain areas (ex Trans Canada Trail, Elbow Trail). With the desire to cycle explore more adventurous areas comes the need to carry gear closer to the vertical plane of the bicycle. The most common carry systems utilize a front roll that is strapped to the handlebar and a seatbag that is strapped to the seat/post for carrying bulkier items. Smaller generic bags, often called feedbags, can be strapped to handlebars and the top tube of the bicycle for carrying nutrition and essentials. These bags tend to not be bicycle specific and can be mounted to wide variety of bikes. Frame bags which mount in the central triangle space of the bicycle can also be utilized but tend to be more specific to the model and size of the bicycle.
Saskatoon area is blessed with the opportunity for quite a variety of sub 24 hour overnight experiences (S240) to other multiday journeys. Common destinations are Champetre County, Pike Lake, Blackstrap, Wolf Willow Winery, Eagle Creek, Outlook and Lake Diefenbaker.
Membership in the Bike Doctor Detours Adventure Club gives you access to a selection of bikepacking gear that can be signed out as well as some route ideas mapped in RideWithGPS.