Backpacking on Bike

Does anyone ride bikes to trailheads when backpacking. The only
tranportation I have to trailheads is a bicycle. I do not want to bike
pack with panniers. I have a pretty wide pack, its a Kelty trekker 4300
external frame. I plan on packing for 1-3 nights. about 30 lbs. I saw
an article in the last issue of backpacker magazine about people doing a
biking hiking trip in Moab Utah. The writer said they preferred using
backpacks to panniers. Is this common and/or comfortable.

For those that do ride to trailhead, where do you leave your bike?
Locked to a tree? People love to steal things in NJ and NY so I'm skeptical.

"v-man" wrote:
> Does anyone ride bikes to trailheads when backpacking. The only
> tranportation I have to trailheads is a bicycle. I do not want to bike
> pack with panniers. I have a pretty wide pack, its a Kelty trekker 4300
> external frame. I plan on packing for 1-3 nights. about 30 lbs. I saw
> an article in the last issue of backpacker magazine about people doing a
> biking hiking trip in Moab Utah. The writer said they preferred using
> backpacks to panniers. Is this common and/or comfortable.

Years ago I used to take the bus up into the mountains (they had bike racks on the
front of the bus). Since it was only about a ten mile ride into where I wanted to
camp at, I just modified the rear rack to accommodate strapping my pack to it
(extended it another 18" with a board), and rode on in. Had to be careful not to do a
wheelie, though, as it was an uphill ride in.

> For those that do ride to trailhead, where do you leave your bike?
> Locked to a tree? People love to steal things in NJ and NY so I'm skeptical.

I just walked it back a ways into the woods and locked it to a tree in dense
underbrush; YMMV.

Jon

Jon Danniken wrote:
> "v-man" wrote:
>
>>Does anyone ride bikes to trailheads when backpacking. The only
>>tranportation I have to trailheads is a bicycle. I do not want to bike
>>pack with panniers. I have a pretty wide pack, its a Kelty trekker 4300
>>external frame. I plan on packing for 1-3 nights. about 30 lbs. I saw
>>an article in the last issue of backpacker magazine about people doing a
>>biking hiking trip in Moab Utah. The writer said they preferred using
>>backpacks to panniers. Is this common and/or comfortable.
>
>
> Years ago I used to take the bus up into the mountains (they had bike racks on the
> front of the bus). Since it was only about a ten mile ride into where I wanted to
> camp at, I just modified the rear rack to accommodate strapping my pack to it
> (extended it another 18" with a board), and rode on in.

I've also strapped my pack to the bike rack a few times. I tried
bicycling with the pack on my back once but found it to be
very uncomfortable for my back, but this may vary for different
pack styles. In my case the pack was unsuitable for the bent-over
position while cycling although it's quite comfortable when hiking.

>>For those that do ride to trailhead, where do you leave your bike?
>>Locked to a tree? People love to steal things in NJ and NY so I'm skeptical.
>
> I just walked it back a ways into the woods and locked it to a tree in dense
> underbrush; YMMV.

Likewise - I just made sure it couldn't be seen from the road or trail
and locked it up to a tree.

In article <411BBEDC.3060609@>,
v-man <vman76@> wrote:
>Does anyone ride bikes to trailheads when backpacking.

Yes, I've done it numerous times.

> I do not want to bike
>pack with panniers.

Hope you don't have to go far. My ride is 160-200 miles,
depending on the trailhead I'm going to.


> The writer said they preferred using
>backpacks to panniers. Is this common and/or comfortable.

Not to me. Now, if you are going on a trip where you don't have to
worry about rain/cold, first aid kits, don't cook.. IE get your
pack down REAL light, maybe. However, I even prefer paniers
to a light backpack on my daily commute. Your back will sweat
like crazy.

Oh yeah... If I were riding slickrock in Moab, I'd want a pack on my
back, not pakiers. For better control of the bike, not or other reasons.
Paniers are fine on roads, but make jumping, hopping, sudden turns, etc
more difficult.


>For those that do ride to trailhead, where do you leave your bike?
>Locked to a tree? People love to steal things in NJ and NY so I'm skeptical.

In NY... I bring it far into the woods, far from a trail, and far
from where people parking at the trailhead . I rrely lock it,
because I don'T want the additional weight of a lock. I have left a note
saying:

"If you find this bike, it is not abandoned. It is my
transportation home. Please don't take it."

I figure that only 1 in 50 would steal the bike, and from where I
leave it, only 1 in 200 would accidentally find it, so my odds are
good.

-Pete
--

"It's a sad day for american capitalism when a man
can't fly a midget on a kite over Central Park."
J. Moran

v-man wrote:
> Does anyone ride bikes to trailheads when backpacking. The only
> tranportation I have to trailheads is a bicycle. I do not want to bike
> pack with panniers. I have a pretty wide pack, its a Kelty trekker 4300
> external frame. I plan on packing for 1-3 nights. about 30 lbs. I saw
> an article in the last issue of backpacker magazine about people doing a
> biking hiking trip in Moab Utah. The writer said they preferred using
> backpacks to panniers. Is this common and/or comfortable.
>
> For those that do ride to trailhead, where do you leave your bike?
> Locked to a tree? People love to steal things in NJ and NY so I'm
> skeptical.
>
==================================================

A simple bicycle trailer would make your pack transport easy.

I saw guys pull a trailer (by hand) to a base camp, filled with coolers
of beer and other luxuries, then hike from the base camp.

v-man wrote:

> What I want to do is take a folding bike on train, bus, or airplane to get
> to the areas where I hike. I then will pedal to the trail head with the
> pack.
> Thats why I can't take the trailer.

Doesn't necessarily rule out a trailer. I use a Bike Friday folding
bike. It and a trailer frame fit inside a regular-size suitcase for
transport on train/bus/plane/etc. On reaching the destination the bike
and trailer parts come out of the suitcase and are unfolded/assembled.
The empty suitcase attaches to the top of the trailer frame and holds my
other luggage and I pedal off to wherever I need to go. A backpack
could easily be strapped to the top of the suitcase.

Peter wrote:
> v-man wrote:
>
>> What I want to do is take a folding bike on train, bus, or airplane to
>> get
>> to the areas where I hike. I then will pedal to the trail head with the
>> pack.
>> Thats why I can't take the trailer.
>
>
> Doesn't necessarily rule out a trailer. I use a Bike Friday folding
> bike. It and a trailer frame fit inside a regular-size suitcase for
> transport on train/bus/plane/etc. On reaching the destination the bike
> and trailer parts come out of the suitcase and are unfolded/assembled.
> The empty suitcase attaches to the top of the trailer frame and holds my
> other luggage and I pedal off to wherever I need to go. A backpack
> could easily be strapped to the top of the suitcase.
>
=====================================

Sounds like a cool setup. So let me get this right, the suitcase is the
frame of the bike trailer?

BruceW..1 wrote:

> Peter wrote:
>
>> v-man wrote:
>>
>>> What I want to do is take a folding bike on train, bus, or airplane
>>> to get
>>> to the areas where I hike. I then will pedal to the trail head with the
>>> pack.
>>> Thats why I can't take the trailer.
>> Doesn't necessarily rule out a trailer. I use a Bike Friday folding
>> bike. It and a trailer frame fit inside a regular-size suitcase for
>> transport on train/bus/plane/etc. On reaching the destination the
>> bike and trailer parts come out of the suitcase and are
>> unfolded/assembled. The empty suitcase attaches to the top of the
>> trailer frame and holds my other luggage and I pedal off to wherever I
>> need to go. A backpack could easily be strapped to the top of the
>> suitcase.
>>
> =====================================
>
> Sounds like a cool setup. So let me get this right, the suitcase is the
> frame of the bike trailer?

The trailer just consists of the two wheels, the axle connecting them,
and a tongue going forward to the hitch near the left rear dropout of
the bike. Coming up from the axle and tongue are three threaded rods
that go through small holes drilled in the side of the suitcase so the
case can be bolted onto the trailer frame. The suitcase itself is a
standard Samsonite case without some of the interior padding and with
the addition of the three small holes.