Everyone should enjoy a bikepacking adventure at least once. Not only is it the freedom of the open roads or trails, but it’s that sense of traveling by your own pedal power, being away from daily life, and experiencing the world’s cultures. The last thing you need is bikepacking scratch though. 

This will end your adventure early and sometimes can be an absolute logistical nightmare. In this article, I will explain the different reasons you might scratch from a bikepacking trip and how to avoid them.

• What Is A Bikepacking Scratch?
• 10 Reasons You Might Scratch From A Bikepacking Trip
• A Final Note: Bikepacking Scratch

What Is A Bikepacking Scratch?

The term scratch comes from long-distance cycling, mainly ultra cycling. It’s when you end an adventure early because it isn’t possible to continue. It’s not rare for this to happen, and quite honestly, there’s nothing to be embarrassed about if you do. I have dropped out of TCR twice haha!

I have been bikepacking for over a decade, and many of my adventures have ended in a scratch. Sometimes, it’s important to come away early, and there are many reasons behind it. I have always said in my early years that I’d rather be trying and failing than sitting at home. 

10 Reasons You Might Scratch From A Bikepacking Trip

There are many reasons you may find yourself scratching from a bikepacking adventure, but what many people don’t understand is that there’s sometimes a pretty easy solution to fix them. Here are the most common problems and possible solutions.

Injuries

Injuries happen, and there’s no denying that they are the most common cause of bikepacking scratches. They might be from an accident or, for many people, just from overuse of the muscles and tendons.

The simple solution to stop an injury coming on a trip is to be preemptive and ensure you have trained properly first, are fitted to your bike well, and might even want to throw in some strength training to ensure stronger muscles.

Illness

I often hear people say that they got unlucky bikepacking and got ill on the trip, “What are the chances?” It’s not uncommon to get ill bikepacking, and it happens for many reasons we often don’t want to admit. Here’s why!

• Poor Hygiene
• Changes In Food You Eat
• Digestion Issues 
• Nerves From Being In Unfamiliar Territory
• Consuming Much More Food
• Not Drinking Enough Water
• Exercising Much More

It’s much more common than you might think. If it gets very bad, you have to have proper medical treatment, but you might save your trip by either taking it easy and resting for a day or two or even changing the foods you eat. 

Poor Weather Conditions

We all dream of bikepacking in the sunshine on clear days with a lovely tailwind, but the reality isn’t always that. Sometimes, it’s miserable, and the weather just gets awful. You are hurled with rain, the wind hates you, and the high passes give you snow. 

The first thing you can do to avoid a bikepacking scratch is to avoid going if you know the weather will be terrible or take the correct gear with you. On tough days when the weather is bad for me, I ensure I have some extra dry kit to keep me sane. 

Not Eating And Drinking Enough

Surprisingly, this is one of the easiest ways to ruin a trip away from bikepacking. Not eating enough can have some pretty dramatic effects on the body. You get moody, tired, uncomfortable, dizzy, and, in extreme cases, very ill.

Quite simply, staying on top of your food goes a long way. It makes you feel so much better, helps the miles go faster, and also, it’s much healthier than starving yourself. If you struggle, you must set reminders on your phone or Garmin.

Pushing Too Hard

When it comes to adventure cycling, it can be hard to dial it down sometimes. You get excited, want to make big distances, and attack the climbs, but that often needs to be avoided. It not only stresses the body a lot but also takes away from the experience. 

If you push too hard, it not only creates fatigue, which we speak about next, but it also turns it into a competition for many, who just end up not enjoying the trip and bailing out. I have done this many times.

Too Fatigued And Tired

Bikepacking isn’t always easy. There are times when it feels a little bit too much. For many, this comes after riding too much day after day and accumulating a lot of fatigue. I think many cyclists feel that because they can ride a single long day, they are okay with multiple days when that isn’t always the case. 

If you keep digging and digging into your body, it will eventually make you feel fatigued. In my opinion, the only ways to avoid this breaking your trip are to slow the miles down, keep the pace low, or have a recovery day.

Mentally Beaten

Sometimes, during a bikepacking trip, things get a little tough mentally. I personally know this all too well and have bailed from many races and even general trips because my mind has just gotten the better of me. For some, it makes them feel anxious, and others just become miserable.

If you start feeling like this, it’s a tough hole to dig yourself out of. First, I recommend checking out my article on being mentally tough. Then, if that hasn’t helped, you should take a rest day and think about a way to battle through or walk away. 

Safety Concerns

I have been lucky enough to cycle in many places around the world. Some I feel incredibly safe, and others have scared me a lot. One particular night, I was riding at 3 am in a certain country and was shouted at on a very rural road by a car full of what seemed like drunk people. 

It made me feel uncomfortable just knowing that I was so far outnumbered, nowhere near anything, and I also didn’t understand what they were saying. It could have been completely innocent, but it didn’t feel that way, and I can understand why people stop a trip over it. 

I think these situations often can’t be avoided. You can pick certain countries which are better and avoid riding at silly times and on weekend nights. If you feel unsafe, keep local emergency numbers close or be selective of where and when you ride, and don’t ride alone. 

The Route No Longer Works

About eight years ago, I went on a trip early in the year, roughly around March. I went from the UK to Italy, but I couldn’t pass one of the alpine passes because it was covered in snow and way too dangerous. I had to come back down and get a train across instead, at a wild cost. 

There will be times when a bikepacking route doesn’t work, and you have two options. Either drop the bikepacking trip and get transport or find another way. In my example, there was no other way. In yours, there could be a long detour, which you might need to do. 

Your Bike Breaks

You can be in excellent shape, have perfect weather, and be fully fueled, but that doesn’t mean everything will be a success. It is not rare to have a bike break while on a trip. It might be a small issue, like a snapped chain or a broken frame. These things happen.

There are ways to avoid it. Firstly, keep your bike regularly serviced and carry the right tools. I highly recommend learning these bikepacking repairs. Also, don’t be scared to go to an expert and ask for a bike health check. You don’t need to be a full-on mechanic but know the basics.

A Final Note: Bikepacking Scratch

When it comes to bikepacking, sometimes you must scratch from an adventure. Here, I can tell you ways to help stop this, but if you feel the adventure needs to end, let it go. Bikepacking is about having fun, not being miserable, so get the best out of it. Then, when you’re ready, feel free to walk away. Thanks for taking the time to check out our article.