18 articles
Nobody gets lost all at once. Here is the procedure for the ninety seconds after the plan and the ground disagree, the dead-device protocol, and the bail-out planning that makes both cheap.
A routing app will happily draw a line down something that stopped being a road in 1994. Surface tags are crowd-contributed claims, not observations — here is the ninety-second check that catches the bad segment.
A route line only answers which way to go. Waypoints answer whether you can drink, eat, sleep or bail out. Here is how to mark all four in your GPX and name them so they still work at 4 p.m.
Two 60-mile days can differ by six hours in the saddle. Here is how to budget a bikepacking day in moving hours, surface-adjusted speed and a stoppage factor instead of miles.
Offline maps are three separate downloads stacked on top of each other: the tiles, the routing data, and your route file. Getting one and assuming you have all three is how riders end up stuck at a closed road.
A router will happily draw a line down something you cannot ride. Here is the seven-stage workflow for planning a bikepacking route, verifying it, and getting it onto a device you can follow.
A GPX is a plain text file you can open and read. Here is how to make one, split it into day-sized files, merge and reverse segments, and clean up a route a stranger drew.
The cost gap between hiring a touring bike and flying your own is closer than most people think. Fit, trip length, and what happens when something breaks should decide it instead.
Strip the bike, protect the five parts that actually break, and weigh the box before you tape it. Here is the exact packing order, plus what to do with your bikepacking bags, stove and batteries.
Flying, shipping, or training with your bike is mostly packing and paperwork. Here is what airlines actually charge as of August 2026, what to put the bike in, and how to get it to the trailhead undamaged.
Most bikepacking emergencies are a broken derailleur or a rolled ankle, not a helicopter rescue, and self-rescue is the decision-making skill that gets you out. Here is the three-option framework we use, the walk-out math, and the triggers for pushing the button.
Camp security on a bikepacking trip is almost entirely site selection, and site selection is free. Here is how we choose a stealth camping spot, handle the bike overnight, and stay calm about the part everyone worries about.
Almost every bikepacking route includes stretches of open road, and a loaded bike changes how you should ride them. This road safety guide covers lane positioning, daytime lights, rural hazards, and route planning for riding confidently in traffic.
Dead zones are normal on bikepacking routes, and losing cell signal doesn't mean losing the ability to call for help. Here's the layered communication plan we use: check-in protocols, phone satellite SOS, dedicated messengers, and no-tech signals.
Severe weather is the hazard bikepackers meet most reliably, and surviving it is mostly free: forecast discipline, smart timing, and knowing when to sit it out. Here are our hazard-by-hazard decision rules for lightning, extreme heat, storms, flash floods, and cold rain.
Is bikepacking safe? Mostly yes, and this complete guide to bikepacking safety covers the habits, gear, and decisions that keep you out of trouble on remote rides, from satellite messengers to weather, wildlife, traffic, and securing your camp.
Most wildlife encounters while bikepacking are avoidable and manageable. Here's how to handle bears, loose dogs, moose, mountain lions, and snakes with calm, species-specific responses.
New to bikepacking? Learn gear essentials, trip planning, and packing strategies. Go from curious to trail-ready with our step-by-step beginner's guide.
