I started bikepacking a decade ago, and there’s no denying that I have learned a lot about it. Unfortunately, much of it came the hard way, and I made a lot of silly mistakes. With this in mind, I decided to write an article on overlooked bikepacking blunders.

On my travels and at many bikepacking events and races, I often see people who have encountered similar problems. Often, these problems are incredibly basic things that could have been avoided from the start if they had known. Here’s what you need to know! 

1. Take A Crap Multi-Tool

Honestly, I have a full article on having the right multi-tool because I see this mistake made so much. Your multi-tool has to have enough functions to get you out of every mess, and if it doesn’t, you need to buy add-on parts.

Also, it’s good to ensure the multi works on the bike. I know for many of my bikes, previous multi tools just wouldn’t have cut it, and there would be certain bolts I wouldn’t have been able to reach easily. Try and test this before you go.

2. Terrible Shoes

I went through so much pain when I first started bikepacking, and the majority of it came from my feet. Having the wrong shoes is not just uncomfortable but can cause you pain from issues such as Hot Foot.

It’s worth investing in a good pair of shoes or if not it’s bikepacking blunders time. They will feel much better riding in them, last longer, look better, and ventilate more. I have had a huge amount of success using Shimano’s shoes, especially the wide versions.

3. Overestimating Daily Mileage

So you have planned to go on a bikepacking trip or event and want to ride 150 miles per day. The first question you must ask yourself is, “Is this realistic?” It might be on an unloaded bike with fresh legs and super smooth flat terrain, but off-road on hills, I doubt it for many. 

I am experienced enough now to know what I can get away with, but it took me years to work this out, and I found myself always struggling to hit targets I had made. This, unfortunately, made some of my events a little miserable. Adding cross training can help performance.

4. Taking Too Much Stuff

Well, I’m sure many people reading this can relate to this common mistake. When I first started bikepacking, I used to take so much. On my first trip, the lock I had was about 5kg, and the bike was bought for $30. 

Knowing what to pack comes with experience, but when you are going through that process, you need to keep asking yourself, “Do I really need this?” A lot of the time, the answer is yes, but sometimes, it’s no, and it’s just wasting space.

5. Taking Too Little Stuff

If you’re not making the mistake of carrying too much, there’s a strong possibility that you’re not carrying enough. I have also gone down this route in some bikepacking events and ended up actually getting injured from being way too cold. 

I massively learned from that ride, and now, in my more experienced years, I know that it’s not always about being light and fast. It’s about efficiency, having what you need, and one or two luxuries. Here’s my kit list for you to enjoy!

6. Eating The Wrong Foods

I have been lucky enough to study nutrition to quite a high level while working as a personal trainer. One thing I can say now is that the phrase “Eat whatever you want when bikepacking, and then some more!” is not great advice and will lead to a bikepacking blunder.

You need to eat the right food. Calorie-rich foods that are easy to digest and good for turning into fuel to power you and help you recover. Although everyone’s diet is unique, my article on what foods to eat when bikepacking will teach you a lot.

7. Understanding It’s Not All About Fitness

You can be as fit as a pro athlete, but that doesn’t mean you will be successful on a bikepacking trip. You need to understand that’s just a small part of it, and although training for a bikepacking adventure does help, there’s much more to think about.

It’s about being logical, having a lot of willpower, and just embracing the fact that you probably don’t know where you will be sleeping that night, and there will be times when you will feel uncomfortable.

8. Hygiene Management

It’s really easy to forget to be hygienic when out on the roads and end up causing an early end to a bikepacking trip. This isn’t because you’re unhygienic, but bikepacking requires you to pay more attention. 

Washing your bib shorts to get the salt out often, ensuring that you use chamois cream if required, and cleaning your hands before eating will stop you from getting ill and getting too sore. I have seen many amazing bikepackers and ultra-cyclists come home early due to this. 

9. Respect

I have been to many different countries on my bike. One thing I think is very important, which I have seen a lot of people ignore, is respecting the people, culture, and place. This sounds simple, but it goes such a long way to making your trip better and making friends.

If you go to another country, learning please and thank you in the language, google to see if there’s anything that might be considered rude, such as tipping. Even read up on cycling rules, such as only using cycle paths or not having headphones. It’s one of the easiest bikepacking blunders to make.

10. Staying Visible

Unfortunately, most top brands of cycling gear don’t offer much in the way of high-visibility clothing. It’s crazy, I know, but it doesn’t sell well and doesn’t often look as cool as what other people in the club might be wearing. 

Try not to fall into this trap. Make sure you stay seen with high-visibility clothing, have lights on night and day, and have some reflective elements. I don’t want to sound dramatic, but it could save your life one day.

A Final Note: Overlooked Bikepacking Blunders

Avoiding these mistakes will really improve your bikepacking experience. In the comments below, we would love to hear about your favorite overlooked bikepacking blunders or ones that might have caught you out.