Question Qorner: Front Rack? Handlebar Bag? Basket? What is the best way to carry your stuff while bikepacking?
Front Rack? Handlebar bag? Basket? What is the best way to carry your stuff while bikepacking? There are many ways to carry your gear, but what's the best? That's a question we get a lot, and this week Enzo wrote in asking for our recommendation. See his question and our response below:
Question Qorner
Heyo!
I recently picked up a Lightweight Rear Rack to run for Swift Campout and a Mt. Tam excursion with a loved one. I ran the Tumbleweed T-rack on the front of my Supersomething as well. I didn't exactly need the capacity, but it was nice to distribute and mount stuff how I wanted.
My big takeaway is that the full setup is heavy (obviously) but also that a full-length rack changes the ride quality of the Supersomething quite a bit.
I'm not finding exactly the experience I want with the Jack the Bike Rack; does anyone at Sklar have a favorite front rack? Any glowing testimony of a particular handlebar bag? A superb basket setup they love?
All the best,
Enzo
Adam's Reply
Hey Enzo,
Thanks for the note! Glad the rear rack worked out well for you. Looks gorgeous out there!
It sounds like you have discovered the drawback of a front rack. They really do stiffen up a fork, and because of that, I am really only a fan of a front rack for around-town purposes and do not recommend them for off-road riding. Also, having the weight of a rack up front is definitely something you can notice in your steering. Baskets can be fun, and they totally get the job done, but they are really rattly, and I wouldn't recommend them if you are riding much dirt.
For front cargo capacity, if I am going lightweight, I will go with a bedroll situation and use a harness from Oveja Negra. If I am on a chiller or longer tour where I want more front capacity, I prefer a big front bag with a bag support. I use a large Fabs Chest from Ron's Bikes, or Bags by Bird makes a good option too. Instead of a rack, I use a bag support on the mid-blade fork mounts, because it does not triangulate between the dropouts and the fork crown, which is what makes your fork really stiff and your ride not that good with a traditional rack. I usually just make one, but the Rod Steward from Shovel Research is a great option.
Anyhow, there are more good options out there than ever now, but I hope that helps explain how I go about it.
Thanks so much again, and let us know if there is anything else we can do.
Adam
So as you can see, I am not a fan of front racks and baskets. They are exactly the perfect tool for carrying groceries and all your things around town, but if you are going to really take your bike out there, I would highly recommend letting your fork flex and reducing rattles with soft bags. Below are a couple examples of our preferred touring setups:
Nick's PBJ with the Bags By Bird Goldback 12.5W Tall
Nick has been running this bar bag for a little over a year now. As you can see on his XL-sized PBJ, there is no need for a bag support, but smaller sizes might need one. He really likes it! The XL PBJ has a ton of room for a framebag, and paired with our lightweight rear rack and some mini panniers, it is a pretty dreamy bikepacking setup.
Adam's PBJ with Ron's Bikes Fabio's Chest (Large) and homemade bag support
This is the setup I keep coming back to year after year. Later you will see my "fastpacking" setup, but if I am going out with a bunch of friends for a type 1 fun tour, or riding rougher terrain this is how I like to pack. The Fab's Chest is awesome because I keep most of my soft, bulky stuff in there (like sleeping bag and down jacket), and the giant flap means quick access to the bulky Mamiya 6 film camera that I like to take on bike tours. The expanding flap is also great if you want to load up on stuff at the grocery store on the way to camp – it almost doubles in size – or throw some stuff up there on the way back from the river and deal with it when you get to camp. The side pockets are great for easy access to snacks, water bottles, burritos and more. I love this thing and it's been on most of my favorite bike adventures.
Adam's SuperSomething with the Oveja Negra harness and bar bag
This is sort of the original "bikepacking" setup. Shove as many of your soft/light things as you can in a dry bag, strap it to your handlebars, and put everything else somewhere else. If I am doing big miles where I won't need to access things until I get to camp, then this is the way. It is tight and light and probably the least floppy and best-handling of all the options, but getting things out during the day is a huge pain and I avoid it at all costs. I use the Front End Loader harness from Oveja Negra with their Lil Smoky bar bag. The harness straps your dry bag to the handlebars, and then the bar bag wraps around the whole situation. The bar bag is handy for snacks, maps, camera, etc, and pairs nicely with some bottle holsters and a top tube bag. Paired with our rear rack and some small panniers, this setup will take you as far as you like.
All that said, I am a hypocrite...
