When it comes to getting ready for bikepacking trips, there’s a lot to think about. Do you have all your kit and spares? Is your bike in good condition? Do you have some cash and money on prepaid cards and much more? 

As an expert bikepacker who has been lucky enough to cycle worldwide, organization is the key to a successful trip. In this article, I will run through the 11 must-do things before going on a bikepacking trip to ensure the best experience. 

1. Test Your Bike Fully Loaded

Something I see all the time from beginners and even experienced bikepackers. They pack all their bags ready to go on an adventure but never go out and test the setup. I have seen bags fall off at the start of bikepacking races, people lose goods on a trail, and bodge repairs. 

Before going on an adventure, it’s really good to test all your kit fully loaded while riding. Firstly, it will give you a good feel for what it’s like to ride with and highlight any problems you might have. This is one of our 20 top tips for beginners.

I remember testing a bikepacking frame bag the day before an adventure, only to realize it didn’t fit my bike properly and couldn’t fit what I needed. Finding a frame bag at last-minute notice in Oman was not an easy fix. 

2. Practice Packing And Unpacking

One interesting thing I have found in all my years going on bikepacking trips is that no matter how organized you want to be you will always be challenged with packing. I have been on many races and adventures and found it very valuable to know your packing order.

Most bikepackers are always limited on space and putting kit away in your garage compared to a dark forest late at night are very different beasts. It’s much more challenging when you have limited visibility, and everything is puffed up from being used.

It’s really good to practice packing and unpacking your kit in your garden, using your bags to understand how it is going to feel and also to ensure that once unpacked, it will all go back together much smoother. 

3. Test Your Electricals

Electricals are a big part of bikepacking, and they need to be working perfectly before you leave. If electrics go wrong, there’s very little you can do to fix them, and knowing they power lights, navigation, and charge devices to communicate with the outside world, it’s so important. 

Testing your electronics is really good practice, and when I speak about testing, we are not just discussing turning it on and off. Electrical needs a proper test, and this is for everything, even your plug.

I test my lights on all settings and log the times they last. I do the same for my power banks and any cables I might use. A plug with a higher wattage can charge much faster, and two small power banks are often better than one large bank.

4. Spend Time Sleeping Outside

Surprisingly, many bikepackers gothere are straight on an adventure with no experience sleeping outdoors. Not only is sleeping outdoors a unique experience in general, but for the best bikepacking adventures, it’s good to practice it. 

I used to sleep out before most adventures until I felt confident. It’s an excellent way to test the kit you’re using and also get confidence being outside. It can be scary sleeping rough, and the last thing you need on bikepacking trips is a sleepless night.

A good idea is to start with friends or at campsites, then work until you’re happy to go out and set up in the dark and on your own. I like my hotels more the more I do long-distance riding.

5. Check All You Bike’s Components

It goes without saying there’s no point going bikepacking on a bike where the chain is slipping and it’s in desperate need of a service. Not only is it dangerous, but you’ll have an awful time.

I like to do a full bike check before a big ride. I look at chain, cassette, and chainrings to start. 

Then I move on to wheels, tires, and finally have a big check round all the bearings such as headset and bottom bracket. A common mistake I often see is cyclists needing to top up the tubeless sealant.

 I also like to go around all the bolts with a torque wrench to ensure they are up to specification so I won’t get any nasty surprises while on the road or trails. 

6. Email Your GPX Routes To Yourself

I used to carry two GPX devices on an adventure to ensure I always knew how I was going. I did this because my very old and outdated Garmin once crashed while I was in the middle of Switzerland on a night ride.

However, looking back, that was a little bit much in hindsight. With modern technology being so good now, I use one GPX device and my phone instead as a backup. It means I carry less and there’s less messing about before a bikepacking race or general ride. 

 By emailing the GPX devices to my phone, I could load them onto multiple applications such as Komoot and Map Out. Then, if my GPX device went down, I have my phone to use for navigation to save the bikepacking trips. 

7. Cash, Cards, And Storage

When going on an adventure, having a card and local currency is very important. You never know when you will need cash, and in certain countries, cards are less used than we do in the UK and US.

I highly recommend using a pre-loaded card. So you can avoid having any problems. I use a Revolut card. It means I can pay for goods and services, use local ATMs without the worry about my card getting taken or anyone having access to my main account. 

I also recommend having a dedicated storage section on your bikepacking bike for money and important documents such as passports. It’s good to be super organized because losing your money or passport is a huge adventure-ending issue.

8. Make A Bikepacking Trips Cheat Sheet

When on bikepacking trips I always make a cheat sheet. This is something I took from ultra cycling and going into bikepacking races. A cheat sheet gives me all the information I need when I’m riding, so I have less to think about or organize.

This will be a small piece of paper or section in my phone’s notes. It will list where resupply points, hotels, bike shops, and any opening times I need to know about. Instead of hunting through Google for open shops, I already know where they are and when they are open.

It means there’s so much less guesswork when out on an adventure. I know how much food and water I need to carry, where I will be able to sleep, and even where I can get bike repairs. It means I have so much less to worry and think about.

9. Check Tools And Spares For Bikepacking Trips

I have a terrible habit of using my tools and spares and then getting home and forgetting to replace them. This had led me to needing to do some very creative repairs which could have easily been avoided. 

Before you go bikepacking, you must check that you have everything you need, from tubeless plugs, spare valves, and maybe even some spokes if you have a rare size rim on your bike. 

It’s also a good idea to check your pump is in good condition. I have found that most pumps only have a shelf life of a few years, and then they start to go wrong. I have had two pumps break on me and now change pumps every two years or at the first sign of wear.

For a full kit list check out The Ultimate Bikepacking Kit List!

10. Stock All Your Favorite Food

When it comes to bikepacking, you generally find yourself eating a lot of food. I have started many trips with an empty frame bag and had to just straight into food I’m not used to and not very keen on.

Now, before I go bikepacking, I fill my luggage with as much food as possible I know I like and then either use it for the first day or spread it across when I’m on an adventure so I feel I have some normality in my eating. 

For me, I have a huge amount of High5 carb powder, which is great for putting in bottles when I don’t want to eat, and also my lots of protein bars as that is something I find I struggle with when I’m eating out of garages. 

11. Clean Your Bottles

Although this might sound obvious, I have to mention it. Bottles get dirty very easily, and if you don’t always clean them immediately after every ride, they can get dirty inside, especially when using carb powder. 

Give your bottles a huge cleaning because when bikepacking, it’s much harder to clean them properly while traveling. I tend to have mine soaking overnight, then heavily scrub them and run them through a dishwasher in a very hot setting.

I also recommend doing the same if you have a hydration bladder. Getting a proper bladder cleaning kit is a must so there’s no strange dirt buildup anywhere that might make you ill when you are away from home. 

A Final Thought: Bikepacking Trips

Bikepacking is a huge amount of fun. It’s important to be organized before you go for a successful good time. I always allow an afternoon before I leave to get everything in order.

Thank you for taking the time to read our article. If you enjoyed this you might like Best Bikepacking Kit Upgrades, How To Train For Bikepacking, and Dogs While Bikepacking How To Get Around Them.