5 Key Bikepacking Basics

Well tomorrow is the day!

Starting tomorrow morning I will be "bikepacking" (it's like backpacking but with a bike) across Michigan over the course of three to four days.

This will be my second year doing this ride. Last year I did it solo and after 3 days I was feeling unmotivated and alone so I opted to throw in the towel early.

This year I was supposed to be traveling with two other cyclists however one had to drop out last week due to a family emergency and the other started flaking out yesterday evening. However this year I'm more than mentally prepared to take this challenge on myself and to successfully complete the entire ride.

The entire route spans 326 miles, riding north to the northern tip of Michigan's Lower Peninsula. Officially I'll be riding from Detroit to Mackinaw City.

You can check in on my progress over the next few days here.

To get myself prepared for this ride, I've obviously been training but I have also been putting a lot of thought and effort into what I need to bring.

Thanks to our friends at Eagles Nest Outfitters, I not only have some great hammock camping gear, but I've also been able to share my bikepacking tips and trips with everyone.

From hydration and snack suggestions to shelter and packing tips, we've got you covered.

Click here to see the 5 Key Bikepacking Basics

Sponsored by ENO.

5 Essentials for a Long-Haul Cycling Trip

If you love to hop on your bike and hit the open road with nothing in your way other than your own legs’ stamina and your body’s determination to go further, then a long-haul cycling trip may be the perfect next vacation for you. Whether it is across the state or across the country, a few days’ worth of rewarding exercise paired with relaxing nights of camping along your route will be totally worth all the hard work. There’s no better way to see (and appreciate) nature than from your bicycle!

The most important part of any bike ride—or any adventure for that matter—is making sure you are adequately prepared. You have to have the right equipment and the right training. Once you have those things out of the way you’re ready to get going! So besides the necessities like your bike, helmet, cycling gear, and water, here are five other essentials you may want to consider packing to get the most out of your next trip!

Click here to see the 5 Essentials for a Long-Haul Cycling Trip

Sponsored by ENO.

Surly Trailer: Biking Work Horse

Perhaps one of my greatest bike-related purchases of 2014 was the Bill Trailer by Surly. This bike trailer is an absolute work horse, allowing me to pull large items and large amounts of weight almost effortlessly.

There are quite a few options these days for trailers that carry relatively small loads. Trailers are nice because they can be detached when not in use, but most trailers can’t haul much weight and the ones that do suffer some design drawbacks such as incompatibility with many kinds of bikes. Conversely, there are quite a few cargo bikes that can haul bigger loads, but cargo bikes meant for a lot of weight can be difficult to load, are sometimes difficult to ride, and require a lot of space to store. But this Surly trailer helps bridge the gap and are meant to haul a lot, to be easy to use, and work with a bike you have already.

The Bill Trailer is 63” long and 24” wide. It’s made out of TIG-welded 4130 Cro-moly steel for strength and long life, with stainless steel hardware for corrosion resistance. The beds have threaded eyelets for bolting down decking, corner posts, or creating other custom accessories using readily-accessible materials from your local hardware store, lumberyard or home improvement store.

The wheels are 16", keeping cargo low to the ground. 16" wheels are also stronger than larger diameter wheels favored by many trailers. Surly even designed their own hubs to meet the requirements of this frame. The rims are double-wall with stainless eyelets. The spokes are stainless steel, radially laced. Combined with smooth, easy rolling 1.95" tires, these are stout wheels designed specific to their purpose.

The hitch system is designed to be as universal as possible. It works with full-suspension frames, disc brakes, rear racks, and fenders. It adjusts to accommodate hub widths from 120 – 145mm and allows you to align the centerline of the trailer on the centerline of the bike. It will work with bikes that have wheels as small as 20" and as large as 29" while keeping the bed level with the ground. This is especially important when you are hauling long items that hang off the back of the trailer.

The Bill Trailer comes as just a frame, which is great because we can customize it for whatever you need to use it for. Using 2x4s and some hard plastic sheets I built up a great low profile frame. Then in the bed of the trailer, right behind the bike, I secured down a sealable, water-proof box where I can keep tools, tie straps, and anything else I may need on the trip.

I've paired my Bill Trailer with my Surly Cross Check and it is a match made in heaven. Since I've owned my trailer, I've definitely put it to work. Hard work.

A photo posted by Marc Langlois (@marcxlanglois) on Dec 28, 2014 at 11:44am PST

A photo posted by Marc Langlois (@marcxlanglois) on Jan 21, 2015 at 3:40pm PST

My  most common use for the trailer is taking our yard waste and recyclables to the City Recycling Center which is just over a mile from our home. But everything from pulling my girlfriend and our puppy to the ice cream parlor, or toting friends around downtown to pulling a snowblower to help a friend dig out of a Michigan snowstorm, this Surly trailer can handle it all!