Packing for Bikepacking by Tristan Ridley (Video)

Plan / Bikepacking Gear Lists

In his latest video, route creator Tristan Ridley goes through the bikepacking setup he’s refined after seven years and 70,000 kilometers touring around the world through Africa, Europe, the Middle East, and beyond. Watch it here…

compose Logan Watts
time Jul 19, 2023
comment 29

Packing is a skill that can be greatly improved with practice and planning, and getting better at it can make life much easier when out on a bikepacking trip. In this video, long-term bike traveler and route creator Tristan Ridley goes through his bike and everything he carries for expedition bikepacking. He also shares the how and why he packs each of his bags, plus a few tips and tricks he’s used to refine his system over the years. Watch the video below, then scroll down for a list of bike specs and Tristan’s own words about his kit.

As shown in the video, Tristan is aboard a Pinion-equipped Tout Terrain Outback Explore. Find the list of components and bags below and more on Tristan’s kit at his website, TristanRidley.com.

  • Frame Tout Terrain Outback Explore
  • Fork Fox 34 Float Factory SC 100mm
  • Saddle Brooks B17 Narrow Carved
  • Handlebars SQLabs 30X (16° sweep), Ergon GA3 grips.
  • Spirgrips+ inner-bar-ends for comfort (for a 10% discount use the code ‘TristanPlus’)
  • Rims WTB KOM Tough i25, 29″
  • Tyres Vittoria Mezcal 29 x 2.25″
  • Drivetrain Pinion C.12 Gearbox, 1:1 gear ratio (32/32), with Gates CDX Carbon Belt Drive
  • Brakes Magura MT5 (4 piston front, 2 rear)
  • Pedals Burgtec Penthouse Flat Mk.4
  • Frame Bag Spoked UK custom roll-top frame bag
  • Handlebar Bag Spoked UK custom handlebar bag (previously Roadrunner Bags Jumbo Jammer)
  • Rack Tubus Vega Classic 29, ROK motorcycle straps
  • Backpack on rack Exped Black Ice 30
  • Accessories Halawa Jhatun XL (top tube bag) and two Spoked UK food pouches
  • Making of the Kenya Bike Odyssey video
  • Gran Canaria Grande
  • The Jordan Trail, Tristan Ridley, The Rideabout
  • The Jordan Trail, Tristan Ridley, The Rideabout
Tristan’s past set up from the Jordan Trail in 2019

Words by Tristan Ridley

I’ve been cycling around the world since 2015, covering around 70,000 kilometres (43,000 miles) through 70 countries. Knowing how to pack for a bikepacking trip isn’t always easy as there are so many different options available, but having spent so much time on the road, I’ve gradually fine-tuned my bikepacking setup to the point that I think it’s pretty close to perfect.

I now use a hybrid setup comprising aspects from both bikepacking and bicycle touring, which gives me a lot more capacity and convenience than a typical bikepacking setup, whilst also being far lighter and more capable than a traditional rack-and-pannier bike touring setup. Packing can be quite a nuisance with limited capacity, but with my setup, packing is fast and easy, and I have enough capacity to carry several days of food, as well as all my camping gear, cooking gear, clothes, tools, spare parts, electronics (including carrying a laptop, which can be challenging to pack for bikepacking) and camera equipment.

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