I completely agree with you about being pro-backpack for actual bikepacking on mtn bike or hiking trails.
Initially bikepacking was defined as multi-day self supported rides on trails, and multi-day rides on gravel or pavement was just called "bicycle touring". But over the past 5 to 10 years, "bikepacking" has increasingly been redefined to mean gravel biking with luggage (so how is that different from what bicycle touring was back in the 1960s and 70s?). To me it feels almost as bad as how e-biking is being pushed as being real mountain biking.
Bikepacking on actual mtn bike, hiking, horse or game trails is really dammed hard and likely only appeals to the strongest and weirdest 10% (kind of like Red Bull Rampage appeals to lots of mountain bike riders, but less than 0.01% can actually do it).
So does the original definition of bikepacking need a new term to distinguish it from "gravel"? Enduropacking or something? ;-)
Aug. 31, 2021, 8:58 a.m. - taprider
I completely agree with you about being pro-backpack for actual bikepacking on mtn bike or hiking trails. Initially bikepacking was defined as multi-day self supported rides on trails, and multi-day rides on gravel or pavement was just called "bicycle touring". But over the past 5 to 10 years, "bikepacking" has increasingly been redefined to mean gravel biking with luggage (so how is that different from what bicycle touring was back in the 1960s and 70s?). To me it feels almost as bad as how e-biking is being pushed as being real mountain biking. Bikepacking on actual mtn bike, hiking, horse or game trails is really dammed hard and likely only appeals to the strongest and weirdest 10% (kind of like Red Bull Rampage appeals to lots of mountain bike riders, but less than 0.01% can actually do it). So does the original definition of bikepacking need a new term to distinguish it from "gravel"? Enduropacking or something? ;-)