How is a backpacking bike different to a touring bike? Is it just the bags or is
there something unique about the frames themselves? I can already sense the
keyboard warriors informing me that you can go touring or backpacking on any
bike. Well, that's 100% true but it doesn't mean we
shouldn't optimize a bike for our purposes. After all, you could drive a
Ferrari around the world, but is that really the best car for the job at hand?
This video will be a comprehensive overview of the eight bike distinctions
that separate a touring and backpacking bike. And here is your quick summary.
Number one: Bikepacking bikes are less overbuilt. Touring bikes are designed to
handle very heavy loads. The safety test protocol for most touring and
bikepacking frames is usually around a rider and equipment weight of about 130
kilograms, but this safety testing sets a floor, not a ceiling. While bikepacking
bikes are designed closer to the minimum, top-tier touring bikes are regularly
designed to handle more weight - even if the manufacturer doesn't state it
anywhere. That said, we will soon see touring bikes advertising higher maximum weights
as bike testing companies are now providing certification right up to 180kg.
A bike designer not only needs to engineer
their frames for the heaviest expected load of any of their customers, but they
need to carefully select components that will not break. As the wheels are the
most likely component to fail on a touring bike, you will usually see very
heavy-duty rims and higher spoke counts than on a bikepacking bike. The downside to
an over-built bike is that it's heavier. Most backpacking bikes are in the 10 to
14 kilogram range, while similarly priced touring bikes are 14 to 17 kilograms.
It's worth noting that the components of your bike don't really care whether you
weigh 50 kilograms and carry 40 kilograms of luggage, or whether you
weigh 80 kilograms and carry 10. However, the location of the weight does matter.
If your equipment load is high, your frame needs to be stiff too. Number two:
Bikepacking bikes usually have less frame stiffness. Frame stiffness usually
goes hand-in-hand with an overbuilt bike. The top tube and
down tube are the most important frame tubes as they are the medium that
resists most of the twisting forces between the front and rear luggage.
Touring bikes regular use the largest diameter, thickest wall tubing. As the
loads are more minimal on a bikepacking bike, frame designers can opt for lighter
frame tubes, which aren't as stiff but result in a more lively ride when you go
out pedaling without any of your luggage. I categorize liveliness as a frame that
has noticeable but very minor amounts of frame flex. Optimizing the liveliness of
a bike requires a look at the riding style, power output and weight of a rider.
It's essentially impossible to create a lively feeling bike that is also stiff
enough to carry a heavy front and rear load. You can, however, use a lighter built
frame and carry a load at just one end, or you could carry your gear in a
trailer instead. Bikepacking loads can also be very heavy, especially if you're
carrying food for a week and 10 liters of water. If this is the kind of riding
you do, you want to make sure your bikepacking rig is just as stiff as a
touring bike. Number three: Bikepacking bikes have different mounts. The mounts
are usually different between touring and backpacking bikes, but the lines are
getting pretty blurry these days. A touring bike will always have rack and
fender mounts, while a bikepacking bike will only sometimes have them. A
bikepacking bike will almost always have a few cargo cage mounts, while a touring
bike may not. Additionally, bikepacking bikes can have mounts for a direct mount
frame pack and top tube bags, along with occasional mounts on the seat stays and
chain stays too. It's pretty rare to find a kickstand mount on a backpacking frame
but that's okay - it's easy to lean your bike to its handlebar with narrow
bikepacking bags. A bike with panniers doesn't lay down as well, so that's why
stands a more commonplace on touring bikes. Number four: bikepacking bikes have
shorter chainstays. A touring bike has long chainstays for three reasons.
Number one: There is usually a significant rear weight bias due to the
larger rear bags, and longer chainstays help to shift the centre of mass further
forward. Number Two: By extending the wheelbase you get a
stability boost at speed with a heavier load. And, number three: to make sure your
heels don't strike your panniers when you ride. In comparison, bikepacking bikes
usually have 20-30 millimeter shorter chainstays given the differing
bag designs and low expected loads, bikepacking bike shouldn't have any
problems with heel strike or ride stability. The shorter chain stays will
make the bike feel more nimble and it will also be easier to lift your front
wheel over obstacles. If you've ever heard people say that short chainstays
make a bike accelerate faster, well, it could be true when you factor in a
handful of grams saved from the frame, but generally, it's a pretty nonsensical
claim. Number five: Bikepacking bikes are usually intended for off-road terrain.
Just a quick look through the categories in my Bikepacking Bike Buyer's Guide and
it's clear that these bikes are more purpose-built for off-road terrain. I
classify bikepacking bikes based on the wheel specification because this is a
key factor in determining how capable a bike will be on off-road terrain. That
said, bikepacking bikes can be purpose-built for the road too - many of the
gravel bikes in my book are really just fat tire road bikes, which makes them the
speediest option for a lightweight road tour. In comparison, a typical bike tour
is conducted on much less varied surfaces, so the handlebar type is
usually the best place to start when you're choosing a touring bike. There is
a lot of crossover between bikes! Heavy duty off-road bikes typically feature in
both of my books and provided gravel bikes have the mounts for racks and
fenders, they often work their way into the "light
touring" section of my touring book. Number six: Bikepacking bikes have higher
climbing gear ratios, sometimes. A touring bike should ideally have a climbing gear
of 20 gear inches or less. A bikepacking bike can get away with a higher climbing
gear as you are likely to be carrying less weight up a hill. That said,
bikepacking bikes are often focused around off-road riding where the gradients are
both steeper and more slippery. As a result, the best backpacking bikes will
have the equivalent climbing gears as a touring bike, and sometimes less.
Number seven: bikepacking bikes use 1X drivetrains more often than not. Across
the majority of the bikepacking bike categories in my books, 1X drivetrains
are definitely the most popular option! The notable exceptions are 700c gravel
bikes which are often built around road riding - and strangely, 29 inch off-road
bikes. 1X drivetrains offer more tire clearance and shorter chainstays when
compared to a front derailleur setup. While they have larger gear jumps
between each gear, on steeper terrain you won't need to make fine gear adjustments
like you do on the road. Number eight: bikepacking bikes use less field serviceable
components. The expected bikepacking trip duration is often shorter than a touring
trip. This typically means that you spend more time around bike shops, so if
something goes wrong, you can send parts in for warranty, obtain spares or get a
professional repair. It's common to find press-fit bottom bracket bearings,
suspension forks, hydraulic brakes, integrated shifters, and titanium or
carbon fiber on backpacking bikes, but these are much less common features on a
dedicated touring bike. A touring bike usually has the most simple parts
available that require the basic tools found in shops anywhere in the world.
That said, more complex parts such as integrated shifters and hydraulic brakes
have recently proven to be quite reliable, so expect to see more of them
on touring bikes in the coming years. So, can a bike be designed for both
bikepacking and touring? Absolutely. The Co-op Cycles ADV 4.2 is an excellent example.
The bike uses overbuilt components that are kept somewhat simple. It has super low
gear ratios, is very off-road capable and has provision for touring racks and
fenders, or cargo cage bags. The build is tough and it shows, with its 16 kilogram
weight. The frame geometry is much closer to a touring bike with a long wheelbase
and upright handlebars. You could set the bike up with panniers for a long tour or
alternatively as a lighter and faster off-road setup.
Which bike should you use? I need to reiterate - you can use ANY bike for
touring and backpacking! But if you want to optimize your setup, you should
consider your total load, the surfaces you will ride, the steepness of the
terrain, the bag setup you prefer and whether you will have access to spare
parts or workshops with the appropriate tools. A decent bikepacking-touring
hybrid is an off-road bike that's overbuilt, has generous tire clearances and
mounts for racks, fenders and cargo cage bags. If you like my videos, you can
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