Gravel bike packing, its all done wrong IMO

[Mangizmo]

So this new trend for "bike packing" with no mudguards, no front or rear carrier and silly bags dangling off the toptube and sprouting out of the back of the saddle, all the weight up high where you dont want it, then you get splattered with crud due to the lack of mudguards. Surely the proper and most efficient way to carry gear on a bike was worked out decades ago by cycle tourists in the likes of the Cyclists Touring Club on bikes like the Dawes Super Galaxy with Carradice bags back and front keeping the weight low, talk about re-inventing the wheel (badly) just my opinion, most gravel bikes dont even have fixings for carriers....why why why, they add no weight, are virtually invisible but add options ?????

 

[Russell]

Lots of good reasons here….

Bikepacking and the centre of gravity

The only thing I don't get about bikepacking (maybe I'm coming to it late and missed the explanation, or maybe I'm just missing something obvious), is this... ...why is it...

singletrackworld.com

 

[Chopper the ex Copper]

CoG and cycling can be counter intuitive, particularly where low speed control and agility is concerned.

Try the old pub trick. Take a broom, balance it in the palm of your hand vertically on the end of its handle. If you're not too sloshed you can keep it up for a good period of time, perhaps even indefinitely, using small hand movements.

Not try it the other way around with the bristle end in the palm of your hand - it just won't happen.

And so it is with with bike control.

 

[Mangizmo]

OK but I still dont get why a £4000 bike doesnt have carrier mounts as they dont add any weight but give the option to fit a carrier if required which can just as easily be removed or why people are so reluctant to use mudguards, the argument that crud gets jammed under the mudguards is nonsense, I live on the edge of Dartmoor and cycle off road regularly often in torrential rain and mud and I always use full mudguards, it has never caused me a problem (and very few people ride off road as often as me in a very wide range of terrains) but they are extremely effective, rather I think it suits retailers and manufacturers to convince us that mudguards are uncool as they take time to fit and add to the cost hence less profit, and people have fallen for it. A fully loaded gravel bike just looks a mess to me, Incidently I have just picked up this Dawes Super Galaxy for £150 I generally ride a heavily modified Giant escape with drops, mudguards, front suspension and front and rear carriers with 700x38c off road tyres and that will do almost anything, I do carry weight off road but securely in panniers back and front

 

[Mangizmo]

CoG and cycling can be counter intuitive, particularly where low speed control and agility is concerned.

Hmmm I am sceptical about that though, sounds convincing but I also ride a motorcycle with a large topbox, I never overload the box as it makes the handling horribly top heavy with weight high up and at the back, I just avoid it at all costs, rather I have a pair of swagman throw over panniers which will balance and carry the weight lower and with a far less unpleasant effect on the handling, so I just dont agree

 

[rwm1962]

I've broken same mudguards as you have on your Galaxy going down curbs. Also found they rattle about on rough ground. Especially the front. Bent 531 forks on a bike like that too. I've lowered the load at front from the bars to a Surly rack. Load is above the front wheel rather that down the sides. I have fork cages too. Made the change as I dont like bar bags rather than c.o.g.. Not much weight front & rear. Other gear is in frame bag in the main triangle. I can fit a rack & rear panniers for touring but I cable tie a mtb mudguard to the rack. Just had no luck with regular mudguards offroad. Best I had were Bontragers but only used them commuting until I flogged the bike.

I don't get gravel bikes. Never mind fixings for racks!

In commute mode so not fully bagged up.

 

[Mangizmo]

I've broken same mudguards as you have on your Galaxy going down curbs. Also found they rattle about on rough ground. Especially the front. Bent 531 forks on a bike like that too. I've lowered the load at front from the bars to a Surly rack. Load is above the front wheel rather that down the sides. I have fork cages too. Made the change as I dont like bar bags rather than c.o.g.. Not much weight front & rear. Other gear is in frame bag in the main triangle. I can fit a rack & rear panniers for touring but I cable tie a mtb mudguard to the rack. Just had no luck with regular mudguards offroad. Best I had were Bontragers but only used them commuting until I flogged the bike.

I don't get gravel bikes. Never mind fixings for racks!

In commute mode so not fully bagged up.

Well the Dawes is new to me and was £150 !!! but so far I really like it and I would willingly have paid more now I have ridden it. No I totally dont get gravel bikes either, and I dont see the advantages of 1x chainrings particularly the cost of replacing the rear cassette and chain, I have just paid £25 for a chain and an 8 speed cassette and it works like a dream, a 12 speed cassette (or however many they cram on now) can cost 8x that or more, I could afford it but it just seems ridiculous to me and for what advantage ?. My Giant cost £150 used with maybe £100 in mods, and I can go anywhere on that bike chuckling about how much money I have saved Yes a few people have said they have struggled with mudguards but not me.....strange

 

[rwm1962]

Maybe just stick to what you like & keep chuckling.

 

[pigman]

The rack and panniers is fine for road and even towpaths but on proper rough stuff, the contents bounce all over the place. Then they can unhook also. Plus the bike has a back-end heavy feel meaning you struggle to redistribute the bikes weight as you encounter bumps or holes.

I was one of the ones who rode with the CTC as a schoolboy in the late 70s and had the rear rack and panniers because it was essential kit and dreaded rough ground. The breakthrough came when I ditched the panniers for a light rucksack and the bike rode far better off road.
I'll make the point that said rucksack was light, just for a jacket, couple of tubes and my sarnies. I'm not advocating filling a rucksack with full camping set up

 

[rwm1962]

(and very few people ride off road as often as me in a very wide range of terrains)

& that's a bold claim.