We explain the differences between hitch racks, roof racks, and swingaway racks and suggest the best for your needs based on our criteria and testing. The handlebars will feel better if they’re about 1-2 cm higher than the saddle for gravel bikepacking or just riding offroad with drop bars in general. We think the Bridge Club is an excellent affordable option capable of taking on The Great Divide Mountain Bike Route or the Trans-WNC (Western North Carolina) Route, which has a blend of fire roads and rooty east coast singletrack. The Timberjack maintains its quality by keeping the costs down in two ways: its build uses more affordable components than most singletrack bikes. The Surly Bridge Club is a highly versatile all-road rig. But fear not, we don't allow our judgment to be influenced by these arrangements! See more at Surly… The Salsa Journeyman Claris is our choice for a reasonably priced gravel bike. The Salsa has Alternator Drop Outs, which means you can use a quick-release system, thru-axle, single-speed, freehub, Rohloff, or even a belt drive for your rear wheel set up. The Troll comes with disc brakes, like the ECR and the other bikepacking bikes we recommend; however, the Troll is also rim brake compatible. I believe for bikepacking that a combination of a shorter stem with wider bars is the better option for stability, control, and comfort. Photo by Graham Hodge. You could think of tire clearance like a Venn diagram in which tire size, bike speed, and comfort overlap. It is designed to travel comfortably over every road or trail condition. The KM is available as a rigid or suspension build (the suspension build costs an additional $650). Photo by Pepper Cook. We’re not saying to get the bike with the widest tire clearance, either. The Journeyman Claris comes in two types that Salsa describes as: the fast and efficient (700 c) or comfortable (650). From 26 units, we found the Top 6 including Garmin InReach Explorer, inReach Mini, and SPOT based on weight, budget, battery life, and communication needs. That is true and can be a place to start, but let's look at this idea with the Salsa Fargo Apex 1. Between all the wheel/component/bar variants of the Journeyman there is probably something that stacks up well and might even come in at a lower price point. The Surly Karate Monkey, with its optional suspension fork, is our singletrack bikepacking pick. There are a ton of benefits to cycle touring with a Rohloff hub, but the price is a major set back. 700c wheels are 29” sized wheels more common among larger framed road and commuter bikes, and typically feature a more narrow rim diameter. The most comfortable bike frame is the one that fits. I recommend that your bars be level with or slightly above your saddle right out of the box (or with a few modifications like your stem). A hanger is the place on the dropout that holds a derailleur, or the bike part that shifts your chain to different cogs or gears. While the ECR can tackle just about any terrain, you may find its slacked-out and low center of gravity is not the most nimble bike on technical terrain. The Salsa Fargo Apex 1 is a burly steel frame gravel bike. In a first for ADVNTR.cc we are going to review a flat-bar bike, yeah I know, crazy! Photo by Whitney LaRuffa. These two measurements provide the bike’s stack-to-reach ratio that will help you determine how upright a bike will feel. I added some other goodness to bike, but overall the handlebars and the tires make for a fantastically confident ride on and off road. April 2, 2018 . Measure your saddle height from the center of the bottom bracket to the top of the saddle. The Journeyman Claris 650 runs 27.5” tires and has all the attachment points you need to customize your bikepacking setup. You want a bike that is less likely to fail and leave you with a 60-mile walk back to your car. The Journeyman is a great entry-level gravel bikepacking option. The ECR comes with a Moloko handlebar that allows for more hand placement and handlebar packing options than a standard straight handlebar. Photo by Naomi Hudetz. The Surly karate Monkey is the best bikepacking bike for folks who need a more technical mountain bike that can handle single track fully loaded. Taller riders may consider 29” tires while shorter riders may prefer 27.5” tires. It is rugged, reliable, and excellent on muddy dirt tracks, fast-rolling gravel roads, and the occasional technical singletrack. Surly will not say what “ECR” stands for. Get an ad-free experience with special benefits, and directly support Reddit. Photo courtesy Graham Hodge. All rights reserved. Treeline Review editor Naomi Hudetz bikepacking near Mt. Why? https://salsacycles.com/bikes/journeyman_650b/2019_journeyman_flat_bar_sora_650, [–]GravelWarlock[S] 0 points1 point2 points 1 year ago (0 children), Wowza! [–]GravelWarlock[S] 1 point2 points3 points 1 year ago (0 children). The Surly Karate Monkey can handle single track comfortably and fully loaded with bags. Thank you for supporting us! Stock build refers to the way a bike is built and often highlights the components. By definition, they are between 2.8" and 3.25" wide. I’ve continued to work with many outdoor companies since then, and in 2017 started bikepacking. I'm hooked. You may even consider paying for a custom bike-fitting. A carbon bike frame is extremely lightweight and often is known for a “steel-like” ride in terms of shock absorption. The weight savings may be worth it for a few folks. Dirt touring takes the essence of bikepacking and extends it to a longer journey. This simple steel rig is $1200, it has an 18 gear inch climbing gear from the new SRAM SX 1X drivetrain and it will clear 27.5 x 2.8″ tyres (26 x 3.0″ or 700C x 47mm too). You can also add a suspension fork to the Fargo Apex 1. As gravel bike riding becomes more popular, bike brands are dedicating a lot of attention to gravel-specific bike builds. A cassette is the cluster of sprockets located on the rear hub of your bike, slotting onto a freehub body and held firmly in place with a threaded cassette lockring. We researched 12+ of the best hiking and backpacking socks including mid-weight, lightweight, ultra-light, budget, blister-prevention, and non-wool picks. Two months later and I ride 95% of the time on the BC (fun on the weekends and 5 days a week commute). We put these base layers to work, and came out with the best base layers for warmth, durability, comfort, wicking away sweat, and not retaining odor over time. Many bikes traditionally use a skewer that can be tensioned to hold the wheel in place. We have predominantly recommended aluminum or steel frame bikes because of their durability and affordability. The Surly Bridge Club is a versatile, reliable, and affordable rig that meets budget bikepacking bikes. They are sealed inside the hub and considered very reliable and nearly maintenance-free (minus the oil changes). If you’re more utilitarian and don’t mind being passed by lycra covered racers, then a bikepacking bike makes for an excellent commuter, especially if you are in a hilly area. If you are attempting to save weight where you can, the 27.5” tire will typically be the lighter option. Save Share. The website bikeinsights allows you to compare bike geometry. See How to Size a Bike for more information on finding the right bike size for you. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing if you are not in a hurry. You can also run up to a 2.8-inch wide tire for more flotation, or swap-in a 700c wheel and tire combo if your route includes a lot of on-road riding. A hardtail mountain bike will only have suspension in the front of the bike while a full suspension bike incorporates suspension into the front and rear of the frame. Copyright © 2018-2021 Treeline Review LLC. This becomes a nice versatile feature that sets it apart from many other bikes. On the other hand, a mountain bike’s frame geometry will have you sitting in a more upright position and will likely have a sloping top tube in case you need to dismount quickly. Surly's Troll was once a simple mountain bike frame with a few extras that made it nice for touring. What We Look For in a Bikepacking Bike→. Traffic and weather. If you have to come off quickly, you may not want a horizontal bar right below you. We strongly recommend that you register your bike with the National Bike Registry. Bikepacking typically involves traveling dirt, gravel, and occasionally paved roads, single track trails, and often a bit of each. Your PBH determines your stand over clearance, which is how much room you have in relation to how tall the bike is when standing over it. Bikepacking is a hybrid between bike touring and backpacking. Journeyman Apex 1 650 offers the comfort and traction of a wider tire, and you’ll feel the difference immediately when you go off road. Unlike suspension forks that allow the front fork of the bike to move up and down, rigid forks do not move. Surly’s New Bridge Club Touring Bike. [–]trailjam 0 points1 point2 points 1 year ago* (1 child). Many first time bikepackers may appreciate the comfort of the 650, but the 700 is often easier to find. Photo by Naomi Hudetz. If you are considering remote international expeditions, consider the Surly Troll with 26” tires (more common internationally than 27.5 or 29” tires) with rim brakes. They are not as ideal for bikepacking, though. It starts with an aluminum frame, aerodynamic handlebars and our Fantail fork. Our location is … Liv / Giant / Surly / QBP brands preferred as we can get them thru our local bike shop. I rode the Timberjack on the Two Gorges Gravel Route in North Carolina and found it comfortable, albeit a little slow. A Venn Diagram can help you find your sweetspot on what you want in a tire. It is even designed to haul a trailer if that is your style. 700c wheels will often work on bike frames designed around 29” wheels. Gravel riding is becoming more popular as bike riders continually try to avoid busier roadways and seek the routes less traveled by motorized vehicles. This isn’t damning … You may find yourself wondering if you should run 27.5” or 29” tires on your bikepacking bike. Below are some factors to consider when choosing the perfect bikepacking bike for you. Now you may be worried that the size medium would still feel too large and that perhaps a size small with a longer stem would be a good option. Photo by Mike Unger. A general way to think about the relation of your handlebar height to your saddle is that if you want to go fast and are reasonably fit, have the handlebars level with the saddle. The Surly ECR excels in this category. These are the points on a bike in which you can attach racks, water bottle cages, or all sorts of other items. The ECR has “barnacles” covering nearly every conceivable location on the frame and fork. The Bridge Club has pulled off the trick of not fitting into any of the currently available pigeonholes. The ECR is the bike you want for long-distance dirt tours such as the Baja Divide. A good bikepacking bike will have numerous attachment points allowing you to customize your gear setup. There are some myths worth researching before you try to convince yourself to spring for the “NASA” version of a bike you like. Graphic by Graham Hodge. Its geometry is no longer suspension corrected, which gives it more room for a larger frame bag. The Karate Monkey is full of mount points, especially with the rigid fork option. Once you find a few you like and start comparing their numbers, you may begin to see a correlation. At Treeline, we want you to buy right the first time. A lot of bikepacking consists of long days riding over a mixture of terrain. A bike’s geometry can be a hot topic and even spark major debates in bike forum threads. Are you planning a months-long expedition? J. See our guide to the best road and commuter bike helmets, including helmets from Bell, Smith, Scott, Bontrager, Specialized, Bern, Lazer, and more. If you’re really worried about rust (not a major issue with proper care and prevention, i.e. The compromise is that with more surface area, you may not go as fast, especially on pavement or hard-packed gravel. Right! See our section on Singletrack vs. Gravel Bikes for more on this. This is a lot more expensive, but the All City Gorilla Monsoon is really nice, and is also a QBP brand. Salsa Journeyman Series. We also think the Surly Bridge Club is a great budget bikepacking option. Surly Bridge Club. It can accommodate up to 27.5 x 2.8” tires. While shorter riders may consider 29” tires depending on the two Gorges Route. 643 mm bikepacking, though, compared with aluminum video on how to measure PBH! Bags without racks, water bottle cages, or paved city streets loaded. At it is ideal for bikepacking, though the Bridge Club has pulled off the pedals more gives more... And hard to control is even designed to handle it all you’re riding rougher gravel roads riding. 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