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Thread: Bike camping

  1. #1
    Senior Member Big Jim Mac's Avatar
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    Bike camping

    Been threatening to do this for some time but finally pulled the string...I ordered a Yeti ARC mountain bike for the sole purpose of bike camping with my hammock. I've been picking up parts here and there, watching sales and buying used where I could, should have all the orders in by this weekend.

    I also ordered a Revelate handlebar bag and a Freeload Tour rack for the rear.

    Bike should be pretty light even with the bags, it's a mix of SRAM X.0 and X.9 components along with a Shimano XTR crank, Thompson stem and seatpost, Easton carbon fiber bar and Mavic Crosstrail wheels. I could have bought a camping trailer for less...

    Interested if anyone else is doing mountain bike camping, would love to share info on your setup, what you took, etc. I did a dry run last weekend by packing in on the Ozark Trail, setting up camp, running back to the car, then riding my bike. Fun but a lot of hassle. With the new bike I should be able to get 100 miles of trail covered easily. Or just find a great spot to use as a base camp and ride the fun sections.

  2. #2
    Senior Member KerMegan's Avatar
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    -Are- there any 100+ mile trails that allow/cater to MB's? some of the At/pct sections (that I have seen Pics of) look do-able, but might irritate any hikers you encounter..just curious! KM (who only has road bikes..)

  3. #3
    Senior Member Big Jim Mac's Avatar
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    Plenty of bike friendly singletrack on the Ozark Trail. Not all sections are open to bikes though so you have to plan carefully. Colorado Trail is also open to bikes. Never encountered any problems with hikers I've encountered, only envious looks! Of course I follow the mountain biker ethic that says "bikes yield to everyone", and when I see horses coming I lay the bike down so I don't scare them.

  4. #4
    Senior Member SmokeHouse's Avatar
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    A little more south of you,, Alot of the Ouachita Trail is open to Mt Bike also. On my want to list...

  5. #5
    Senior Member FLRider's Avatar
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    Never done mountain bike camping, but I do road bike camping fairly regularly.

    Note: I don't do a century plus usually; my range (with gear) tends towards the low eighties at most. I'm also living down here in the flatlands (I think the longest single slope that I've ridden in FL rose something like a hundred feet in about a thousand long, total). Because of that, I can get away with riding a six-speed beach cruiser that is as comfortable as a Cadillac...and about as heavy. I only average about twelve miles an hour for a normal ride.

    Those disclaimers aside, what I've found is that going early and having something to do at/near the campsite is important. The early part is to let your legs rest as long as possible before getting up to do it again as well as avoiding the worst of the day's heat. Ninety-plus degrees and eighty-plus percent humidity make for a wet, exhausting ride. The having something to do part is because you arrive at the site, and yes, you're tired, but you still have quite a bit of daylight left. What do you do with all of that? So...yeah.

    Also, make sure that you have all of the normal replacement parts (tubes, a few spokes, chain links, etc.) and the tools needed to use them. Nothing sucks more than being twenty miles from the nearest town and having your bike crap out on you. It's the same principle as a first-aid kit.

    Since you're intending upon doing biking as the primary occupation of your trip, it will probably pay off to find a good base camp and then go from there. Especially as you'll be mountain biking; I don't think I'd want to tackle technical trails with twenty or thirty pounds on my back and bike.

    Still, all of the usual acronyms apply.

  6. #6
    Senior Member russmay's Avatar
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    Yeti makes a great mountain bike. I would recommend a full suspension mountain bike. they are great on single track trail and have a lot of Cushioning against all the bumps and ruts in a trail. Plus you can lock the rear suspension for when you are climbing a hill so you don't bob up and down like a yo-yo. I don't know if this helps out or not.
    "The real man smiles in trouble, gathers strength from distress, and grows brave by reflection."
    Thomas Paine

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