Prepping Your Bike (and Yourself) for Bikepacking

The author with The Lorax (the bike) in front of The Lorax (the mural)

On a long-distance bike trip, your bicycle is your best friend. It will haul all your gear, carry you up every hill, and face every headwind with you. It will get you through every "why am I doing this?" moment, and will be there to catch your blood, sweat, and tears. You will spend so much time with your bike, it will virtually become an extension of yourself.

Like any dedicated travel companion, your bike deserves love and attention before embarking on an adventure together. Learning how your bike works and how to keep it happy means fewer roadside tantrums and more confidence to pedal further without fear of being stranded by a mechanical failure. Take care of your bike and it will take care of you in return. Here’s what to consider about setting up, servicing, and maintaining your bike before, during, and after your trip.

*Note: This article is intended to be a general overview of things to consider regarding bike-specific prep for an extended trip and is in no way comprehensive. To dive into more details on the following topics, or for guidance on topics like how to choose a bike, what gear to pack/how to pack it, tips on navigation, route-planning, and more, check out our bike knowledge page or bikepacking.com.

Pre-Trip

Ride Your Bike!

This may seem obvious, but it's worth noting nonetheless. Especially if your bike is new to you, spend time riding it at comparable distances and terrain to what you’ll encounter on your trip. These test rides will help your body adjust to the demands of being on your bike all day every day. It will also give you a chance to dial in your hydration and nutrition: How much water do you need? How many snacks? You’ll want to know this before you’re bonking (bonking = running out of all energy due to lack of fuel).

Even better, ride with your bags attached and loaded up so the first time you’re pedaling a fully loaded bike is not the first mile of your trip.

Ride in Unfavorable Weather.

If possible, go for rides in varying weather conditions (rain, wind, mud, cold, etc.) This will help you feel more confident if and when you confront these conditions on your trip. This can also help you distinguish between normal and abnormal noises your bike makes when hit with rain or mud, like squealing disc brakes and gritty drivetrain sounds.

Get Comfy.

Finding a comfortable fit and body position is paramount and will make long days in the saddle infinitely more enjoyable. Bikes come with generic stock components to fit a wide range of body types and there are parts you can adjust to make yours custom to your body. Small tweaks make a big difference. The world of bike fitting is fascinatingly complex; the best way to get this dialed is to schedule a session with a professional bike fitter if you’re able. Otherwise, start by thinking about your three points of contact with your bike:

• Booty: How does your butt feel after a long ride? Are you getting saddle sores? Are your hips bouncing up and down? Does it feel like your butt is slipping forwards or backwards while riding? Do your knees ache? Try experimenting with seatpost height, saddle tilt, and saddle fore/aft position. These adjustments can be made with a basic multi-tool or set of Allen wrenches. If the stock saddle is not doing it for you, consider buying a differently-shaped saddle more suited for your booty. Applying chamois butter to the affected areas can also help by reducing friction. As far as bike shorts, some riders like padded chamois while others prefer no padding (sometimes due to the material’s tendencies to collect moisture and the lack of laundry facilities you may encounter on your trip).
• Hands: Are your hands or wrists feeling sore? Consider getting gloves with built-in gel pads, padded handlebar tape (for drop bars) or a different style of grips (for flat bars). You can make adjustments to the position of your handlebars by rolling them forward or backward. In addition, you can slide the controls (shifters and brake levers) left or right on the bars. These adjustments can be done with a basic multi-tool. Flat bars can be trimmed with a pipe cutter or hacksaw to better fit your shoulder width. You could consider upgrading to a new set of bars with more desirable hand positions or adding aero bars.

Installing aero bars.

• Feet: Any foot pain? Are your toes feeling squished? Are you developing hot spots on your heels? Your feet are where all your power is getting transferred to your bike, so well-fitting shoes are vital. Shoes with solid grip are a good idea for those hike-a-bike sections and walking around towns. Pedal choice is also essential—consider if you want clipless or flat pedals depending on the terrain, your goals, and your comfort level. Clipless pedals are great for pedaling efficiency, speed, and hill climbing, while flat pedals provide some riders more comfort in techy terrain where you may constantly be getting on and off your bike. Pedals with a wider platform can dissipate the pressure placed on the balls of your feet.

Get a Tune-up at Your Local Bike Shop.

Get to know your local mechanics and have them give your bike a thorough safety check and tune-up. Mechanical issues on bikepacking trips are inevitable, but getting a tune-up should decrease the odds. A thorough tune-up includes:

• Cleaning
• Shift adjustments
• Brake adjustments and brake bleeds if you have hydraulic brakes
• Inspecting components for physical wear: Tires, brake pads, brake rotors, cables and housing, drivetrain parts (chain, cassette, chainring), bar tape, spokes, etc. Inspect for rust, corrosion, and cracks as well.
• Truing wheels and getting all spokes to the proper tension
• Checking bearing systems (wheel hubs, bottom bracket, and headset) for looseness or overtightness
• Topping off sealant in tires if you are running them tubeless
• Inflating tires to preferred pressure
• Lubing the chain
• Checking that all critical bolts and quick-releases are torqued properly
• Test riding to ensure all systems are working properly under load and there are no mysterious noises.

Make sure your wheels are dished.

Replace Worn Components.

If you or the mechanics notice a component that needs replacing, get this ordered sooner than later to give enough time for shipping and installation of the new part.

Upgrade Components if Applicable.

Aside from upgrading components like your saddle, handlebars, bar tape, and pedals to provide a better fit and increased comfort, the terrain of your intended trip can also dictate what components you choose to run. Some upgrades to consider:

• Tires: Will you be riding on pavement, gravel, trails, or a combo? Skinnier, smoother, faster-rolling tires are best for pavement, while gravel roads and trails will require wider, knobbier tires. If you currently run tubes in your tires, are you interested in converting to tubeless? This will lessen your chance of getting flats and allows you to run lower tire pressure, but does require a learning curve and some finesse to get set-up and maintain.
• Gearing: If you desire a wider range of gears for easier climbing on a loaded bike, consider upgrading to a larger cassette in the rear or a smaller chainring in the front. Talk with your local bike shop about what’s possible and compatible for your bike.
• Suspension: If you will be riding on more rugged terrain, you may want to consider adding suspension somewhere on your bike to lessen the shock your body absorbs over time. You could add a suspension fork, suspension stem, or suspension seatpost. Running tubeless tires also indirectly provides suspension by allowing you to run lower air pressure making the ride-feel smoother and more compliant.

Pack Spare Components.

There are a few specific spare components you should carry with you on extended trips. These include:

• A derailleur hanger
• Spokes/spoke nipples
• Brake pads
• Chain links and master link
• Bolts for your water bottle mounts, cargo mounts, rack mounts, shoe cleats, etc.
• Brake and shift cables
• Valve cores

Learn Basic Fixes and Maintenance.

There are a few skills everyone should learn before embarking on a trip. Learning how to work on your bike takes time, dedication, vulnerability, and perseverance to push through the frustration. The internet has a wealth of resources on bike repair, but seek out a hands-on learning environment if possible. See if your local bike shop ever puts on workshops or if you can recruit a friend to teach you. Repetition is key!

Fixing a Flat Tire

• For a tubed system: Learn how to install a new tube and how to patch a punctured tube
• For a tubeless system: Learn how to plug a punctured tire, how to add more sealant to your tires, how to use a CO2 cartridge if you need to reseat your tire, and how to install a new tube in case the tubeless system fails

Lubing Your Chain

• This is something you will do regularly to ensure smooth shifting and increase the lifespan of your drivetrain.

Basic Brake and Shift Cable Adjustments

• Cables can stretch over time, so learn how to tension your brake/shift cables and how to use your barrel adjusters.

Adding and Removing Links to Your Chain

• This is a useful skill if your derailleur hanger breaks and you don’t have a spare, or if your derailleur itself breaks. To be able to ride out instead of walking, you can convert your bike to a single-speed. This involves taking off the chain, removing the derailleur completely, then removing chain links and reattaching the chain on one selected gear. Since this is a more advanced process, storing a downloaded video on your phone of how to do this can be helpful.

Tightening Bolts

• Bolts can become loose over time, so get a feel for how tight they should be and make sure you bring the right tools to tighten them (most things on your bike can be tightened with a common bike multi-tool).

Pack a Repair Kit.

And know how to use it! Items to pack:

• Tire repair: Spare tubes, tube patches, pump, tire levers, tire boot or dollar bill for sidewall gash, needle and thread for sidewall repair
• For tubeless set-ups: Everything listed above, plus sealant, valve core removal tool, tubeless plugs, CO2 cartridges and adapter
• Bike multitool with a chain break and master link pliers
• Generic multitool with a knife and pliers
• Chain lube and rag
• Extra Voile straps
• All-purpose fixer-uppers like zip ties, duct tape, and superglue
• Spare bike components from list above

The staff at your local bike shop will be more than happy to assist you with all of the above points, from getting more comfortable on your bike to servicing it to assembling your repair kit. Befriend them and pick their brains, guaranteed they will love hearing about your upcoming trip and teaching you about your bike!

During the Trip

Once you’re on the trip and your bike is racking up mileage, here’s what you should check to ensure your bike continues running safely and smoothly:

• Tire pressure: The good old “squeeze test” is generally adequate for determining if your tires have become too soft. Or use a gauge if you have one to check pressure multiple times a week.
• Chain: Check for things like dryness or rust and lube regularly, especially if riding in extreme conditions (either super wet/muddy or super dry). Wipe off grime that inevitably will accumulate on your drivetrain (the chain, cassette, chainring, and derailleur).
• Brakes: Ensure that brakes are tight and stopping properly before each ride. If hydraulic, inspect for leaks coming from the lever or the caliper (the part that houses the pads).
• Tightness of bolts: Bolts loosen over time, so check regularly to avoid a safety concern or a runaway bolt.
• Mysterious noises: Pay attention to squeaking, rattling, or creaking. This is your bike trying to communicate something.
• Visual wear: Just like you did before your trip, periodically check components for wear—check to see if tire knobs are wearing down or brake pads are becoming thin.
• Wheels: Feel spokes for looseness and observe if wheels develop any wobbling.
• Distance indicators: If you are on an extended trip over hundreds or thousands of miles, consider getting your chain replaced, tires replaced, or brake pads replaced at a shop over regular intervals based on wear.

Post Trip

Woohoo, you made it! Now avoid the urge to immediately hang up your bike and ignore it for a while, even if you feel like you need separation. You just went through a lot together—show it some love! Give your bike a thorough cleaning and continue to check for component wear so it’s ready to carry you on your next adventure. Think about what you would do differently next time, what parts of your repair kit you would add or take away, and what skills you want to keep developing. Your relationship with your bike will continue to blossom every ride you take!