The Self Sufficient Bike Camping Thread.

FatGuts

FatGuts

Likes Dirt
Been looking at tents. If they are under 2kg they are damnned expensive. I was also thinking af a tarp tent as they are light & pack up small but the problem with them is they let the bugs, snakes & goannas in over summer & I hate those farking black jumping ants that you get up the mountains. Bitey buggers they are!!



Best thing I found was a Darche Hybrid Shelter:

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I can get them for about 80 bucks off Ebay.



Anyway, I was sniffing around the camping section of Kmart yesterday & cam across their two & three man tents. I picked one up & it felt light. I snuck around to the fishing section & found a set of scales & it came in at about 1.7kg. It is a bit large, about 50cm by 10cm but I can live with that as the best bit about it was ......... IT WAS 15 BUCKS!!!!!!!!!!



Yep, it not the best but it will keep the bugs out & if I only get a couple of uses out of it I can just go buy another :p
 
C

C Dunlop

Likes Dirt
I would just like to share that my dad leaving to ride the BNT in two weeks on his $350, second-hand apollo mountain bike with 68mm travel RST forks, and a 20 year old army surplus tent. This will either end successfully or with me driving to the middle of the great dividing range at short notice to rescue him.

On a side note, do not leave maps laying around the house for your retired father to start looking at when you move interstate.

He's a hard cunt though, wouldn't put it past him making it.
 
eastie

eastie

Likes Bikes and Dirt
C Dunlop said:
I would just like to share that my dad leaving to ride the BNT in two weeks on his $350, second-hand apollo mountain bike with 68mm travel RST forks, and a 20 year old army surplus tent. This will either end successfully or with me driving to the middle of the great dividing range at short notice to rescue him.

On a side note, do not leave maps laying around the house for your retired father to start looking at when you move interstate.

He's a hard cunt though, wouldn't put it past him making it.
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Ha - at least nowehere in oz if much more than a 48-60 hr drive to get to! 2 drivers round the clock and you can be anywhere in a couple of days straight! That's what we figured out over a couple of stubbies and a map of oz when the oldies in our family decided to sell up and get super adventurous.
 
0

0psi

Eats Squid
FatGuts said:
Been looking at tents. If they are under 2kg they are damnned expensive.
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Don't know what your definition of damn expensive is but the Sea to Summit solo is about $400rrp so I'm sure you could get it down to $300-$350 quite easily and packed weight is. . . . wait for it. . . . 625g. Packed up it isn't much bigger than a Nalgene bottle.
 
shakes

shakes

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0psi said:
Don't know what your definition of damn expensive is but the Sea to Summit solo is about $400rrp so I'm sure you could get it down to $300-$350 quite easily and packed weight is. . . . wait for it. . . . 625g. Packed up it isn't much bigger than a Nalgene bottle.
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x2 I also found ferrino from adventurefriends website to be damn cheap for the size vs weight too.
 
doakwolf

doakwolf

Likes Bikes
Here's my Reignn with F+R Freeloader racks ready to roll into the jungle.



I haven't gone yet. Got all the gear then realised it's winter LOL. Pretty keen to head out for some weekenders this summer :)
 
M

MRO

Likes Dirt
That is the new definition of all-mountain. 6 inch travel reign used for XC, mini downhill, and epic camping adventures.

I have been looking at the freeloader racks for my Reign. On their website their is a great link to a blog written by a guy touring the US on his Giant reign with two freeloader racks. Drops the racks off and visits all the bike parks on the way round!
 
D

dain2772

Likes Bikes and Dirt
MRO said:
That is the new definition of all-mountain. 6 inch travel reign used for XC, mini downhill, and epic camping adventures.

I have been looking at the freeloader racks for my Reign. On their website their is a great link to a blog written by a guy touring the US on his Giant reign with two freeloader racks. Drops the racks off and visits all the bike parks on the way round!
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I have a freeloader rack and I love it. I have mostly used it on the road bike for a commute, but it fits equally well front or rear on my 2010 stumpy fsr.
 
FatGuts

FatGuts

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0psi said:
Don't know what your definition of damn expensive is but the Sea to Summit solo is about $400rrp so I'm sure you could get it down to $300-$350 quite easily and packed weight is. . . . wait for it. . . . 625g. Packed up it isn't much bigger than a Nalgene bottle.
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I paid 500 bucks for a 3 roomed taj mahal for he family so to spend 400 bucks on a 1 man tent is damn expensive for me. I weighed it properly yesterday & it comes in at 1.6kg. I am happy with that for most trips I will be doing.


& yes, that is the folded size.... :p
 
Benizmo

Benizmo

Likes Dirt
Anyone using the Freeload rack system with Panniers?

I have the latest model with the tour deck system combined with the side frames. the top clamp is great but the bottom restraint seems a bit flexy with Ortlieb back rollers.

I have seen some setups with a bit of bungee rope just tied vertically onto the rack frames. Which looks to be the go. Anyone used this on the trails?
 
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droctagon

droctagon

Likes Dirt
Benizmo said:
Anyone using the Freeload rack system with Panniers?

I have the latest model with the tour deck system combined with the side frames. the top clamp is great but the bottom restraint seems a bit flexy with Ortlieb back rollers.

I have seen some setups with a bit of bungee rope just tied vertically onto the rack frames. Which looks to be the go. Anyone used this on the trails?
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Hey Benizmo,
I have the Freeload Tour rack on my Karate Monkey, It's a good bit of kit, although I am yet to purchase the side frame kit. I have run my Ortlieb back rollers on it without the side frames and had all kinds of issues with heal clearance, spoke bash etc (as you would imagine) however, with a bit of tinkering and some Andy-Strapz flat straps, I managed to wrangle it into a workable scenario. I rode some rough techy trails on an overnight bike packing trip with plenty of weight, and even without the side frames, it all worked well.
I will definitely purchase the side frame kit, but personally I think that for the price, the side frames should be included with the Tour rack. It seems to me like it is a bit of an after thought, as panniers would not work well on any bike setup without the frames, At least with Ortliebs anyway. For the price, I think Old Man Mountain rear rack would be a more pannier friendly option, however, since I put my freeload on, I have just left it on there.
 
eastie

eastie

Likes Bikes and Dirt
gear

Quick run down on my gear, pics from Howqua River camp area Australia day last year before setting off for a few day ride. Bitches will have their trinkets and my days of sleeping rough are long gone!





rundown starting from top left below the bag clockwise,
  • Black bag - black diamond tripod bivy
  • Red bag - light marmot down bag,
  • Dark green bag - exped down pillow thing
  • Blue bag - MSR reactor stove
  • little black bag - coffee and other stuff
  • Silver and black bags on top - pegs and poles
  • camelbak 35 litre job, all up comes to 12kg with 3litre bladder, so light with enough dry food for a couple of days (nothing like what we carted in the army!)
Couple of other pics of a trip a couple of months back around Nevada and Utah. These were taken in north east nevada. Picked up a hire bike for a week and did a few o/n rides, a lot of the trails like flume further west were still snow covered but with some local help I managed to find some epic trails and stunning spots to ride.





 
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T

thelankyman

Likes Dirt
I managed to get a cheap Freeload off the ebay and plan to carry my dry bag with my sleeping bag and clothes in it (should have got a revelation saddle bag instead for a weight reduction). Was going to run my sleeping mat on the handlebars with a tarp. I had hoped to use a small triangle bag for other bits but I have realised that I wont be able to get away with a 5 day overnighter without needing either frame bag or a backpack to carry at least food. I dont want to use a backpack as they suck for extended periods. Seem that you can get revelation frame bags a us site http://www.bikebagshop.com/revelate-designs-bags-c-789.html, which doesnt appear to have issues with sending to Aus and has surly compatible stock available. Another much cheaper and dodgier version is http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Uraltour-Custom-Frame-Bike-Bicycle-Bag-tracking-number-/251145844559?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3a7975774f

The main thing I am now grappling with is what to sleep in/under. I dont want to spend much as I have a 2 man hiking tent and dont want to fork out for a lighter and smaller tent. I was thinking of just using a tarp combined with some mosquito repellant. The other concern I have is for the longevity of my sleeping map if it is just going on the ground and that I could end up sleeping on saturated ground, combined with a down sleeping bag is not ideal. Typically I wont be sleeping on nicely manucured grass, as I will be out bush and dont want to put a hole in it during the first night. It is a lightweight 3/4 black wolf. Should I just get a extra/larger tarp to put under me or buy an emergency bivy as a backup/groundsheet?

I am also worried about how to carry water. Obviously the frame bag will cover the bottle bosses. Is it just a matter of putting the bottles or a bladder in the frame bag of is there some good temporary mounts available for bottles.
 
J

JP

Likes Dirt
I have a roll of black builders plastic under my house so I cut a few lengths to use as a footprint under one of my tents and as a ground sheet under my mat and bivvy. I have seen in the bike packing section of mtbr people using a tarp but pitching it so it makes a roof, one wall and a floor.

I'm pretty sure you could fit a bladder in a frame bag. You could also use hose clamps and clamp bottle cages to your fork legs, seat post and the underside of your downtube.
 
T

thelankyman

Likes Dirt
Does anyone have any suggestions for a overnight weekend epic to the East of Melbourne? I am currently thinking of just heading to Bairnsdale and heading north on any dirt road I can find. I know that there is a rail trail out there but it is a little flat for the training I am after. I had thought of following the Mitchell river upstream then coming back down the Nicholson or something similar. Also kinda want to hit up the trails in Nowa Nowa and Colquohon forrest. Loosely following the Bicentenital trail around Walhalla is also a option.

I have booked my flights to Perth to Hit up the Munda Biddi trails. Just need to work out how I am going to get back from the end of the trail. I might have to be REALLY nice to my friend who is living over there!

I ended up getting the frame bag to put misc bits, food and a bladder in. Just waiting to pick it up from the Post Office. I have just bought a dry bag to go on the back on the bike with my sleeping bag etc and I am thinking that I will probably be able to get my sleeping mat in there too, meaning I wont need anything on my handlebars.

I have bought the SOL Escape Bivy with the idea of leaving my tarp at home if the weather is looking good. If it is nice weather I willl use the Bicy as a ground sheet. If it is cold or wet I will sleep in it. THe Munda also has a few shelters so they are a good back up.
 
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