Here at the Bikepackist, we do our best to answer most questions we get asked in the form of a long blog. One that has come up a few times for me and one I feel I need to answer is “Time Trial Bikes For Bikepacking.”
Many of you wouldn’t even consider a time trial bike for bikepacking, but some people have gone down this route, and it comes with some interesting talking points. This article will discuss the good, bad, and even my experience bikepacking on a time trial bike.
- What Is A Time Trial Bike?
- Why Use Time Trial Bikes For Bikepacking
- Why Not To Use Time Trial Bikes For Bikepacking
- My Experience Bikepacking On A Time Trial Bike
- Time Trial Bike Upgrades For Bikepacking
What Is A Time Trial Bike?
A Time Trial bike is typically used in Time Trial events. This is when a rider will try to go as many miles as possible in a length of time or might want to travel a certain distance as quickly as possible.
Good examples of time trial events would be 10-mile, 25-mile, or even 24-hour events. They are a lot of fun, and when it comes to speed, you generally see some mind-boggling figures that cyclists achieve on their own and often not in a group.
Time Trial bikes are made to cut through the wind. They are very aerodynamic, often a little heavier than a road bike, and made to be incredibly aggressive for the optimal position for speed. They have aero bars instead of drop bars and often come with a disc wheel.
Why Use Time Trial Bikes For Bikepacking?
Well, although it sounds crazy, I have seen many people use time trial bikes for bikepacking, and I have even used one myself for a couple of trips. Here’s why some bikepackers consider them.
It’s Fast
The first reason is that time trial bikes are very quick. Not only will this get you more places on an adventure, but if you are ultra-racing, you will find it easier to stay ahead of others.
They Can Be Cheap
Although some time trial bikes are expensive, some are very cheap and come with great performance parts. For example, an old second-hand Planet X bike made of full carbon fiber with carbon fiber wheels can cost as little as $500.
They Look Amazing
There’s no denying that time trial bikes look amazing. They are a good choice if you want to be the coolest-looking bike packer on an adventure.
Already Equipped With Aerobars
Aero bars are a great accessory that is standard on time trial bikes. These bars lower you into a flatter, more aggressive position, making you extremely streamlined. This means you can generally go much faster for the same amount of power on a road bike.
Why You Might Not Use A Time Trial Bike For Bikepacking
At this point, Time Trial Bikes For Bikepacking look quite tempting, but it’s important to understand that there are many drawbacks. Here’s what you need to know.
Aggressive Geometry
The aggressive geometry of a Time Trial bike isn’t great for bikepacking. It puts a lot of pressure on the lower back, which means you can’t spend the time on the bike you might want unless you have adapted to the position or are very flexible.
High Gear Ratios
Time Trial bikes have very high gear ratios as standard. This means that when you come to those big alpine passes on tired legs, you might not have the ability from the bike to spin the legs up freely.
Awkward Shape
Another issue to mention is the the awkward shape. This means that not only does comfort become tougher as you typically sit over the bottom bracket more, but it’s also challenging to fit bags on Time Trial bikes due to the oversized tubing.
No Drop Bars
Another testing part of using Time Trial bikes for bikepacking is the fact that you don’t have drop bars. This means that on testing descents, it can feel like you have less control and fewer options for hand positions.
Tire Clearance
When it comes to bikepacking, having bigger tires not only lets you go on rougher roads, but it also offers much more comfort. You will struggle to get anything above a 30c tire on most Time Trial bikes.
Different Gear Shifters
On Time Trial bikes, you don’t have typical shifters like on a road or gravel bike. They are either small levers or buttons at the end of the aero bars. This makes changing gear while climbing a real pain.
My Experience Bikepacking On A Time Trial Bike
Yes, please don’t judge me. In my younger days, I actually did a few trips bikepacking on a Time Trial bike. It was a Fuji D6, and it was a fast bike. If I remember correctly, I cycled through 10 countries in 10 days across Europe. The route basically went from Holland to Italy.
I found that although I traveled much faster, I was resting much more due to pain in my lower back. I was quite new to bikepacking at this point and didn’t really understand what the best route to go down when it came to setups was.
The gearing which was a 52/28 and having the shifters on the aerobars made it very problematic especially when riding in cities or large towns. I personally found the speed extra did not make up for all the annoying stuff.
Honestly I would rather be slower and more comfortable than riding a TT bike. I didn’t have much fun but it doesn’t say that the right rider with the right TT bike wouldn’t have success.
Time Trial Bike Upgrades For Bikepacking
So after reading this you might be thinking I want to give bikepacking on a time trial bike a go. Well why not. Here’s what I would consider doing to ensure that you have the best setup possible.
- Heighten the stem for increased comfort and a more relaxed geometry.
- Change the chainrings and cassette for lower gear ratios.
- Consider using wheels with less depth.
- Install the biggest size tires you can get away with.
- Train a lot of miles beforehand to get used to the position.
Time Trial Bikes For Bikepacking: A Final Note
Bikepacking is a very personal thing and I am a big believer in using whatever bike you want. Time Trial bikes are not a typical bike for bikepacking but it doesn’t mean you can’t. I did for a while but didn’t have a huge amount of success.
Thanks for taking the time to read this article. If you enjoyed this then you might like Carbon Fiber Bikes For Bikepacking, The Ultimate Bikepacking Kit List, and Dealing With Dogs When Bikepacking.