Cycling UK Forum

Oldjohnw wrote: ↑10 Aug 2021, 8:05am Seems a bit like the old tired discussions about real cyclists as opposed to some other kind.

Exactly, but it provides endless amusement.

MartinC wrote: ↑10 Aug 2021, 8:20am

Oldjohnw wrote: ↑10 Aug 2021, 8:05am Seems a bit like the old tired discussions about real cyclists as opposed to some other kind.

Exactly, but it provides endless amusement.

Given that Brumster now has his Mag - we can continue.

The controversy or confusion about this is a bit like that for backpacking.

In some countries backpacking was multi-day hiking carrying all your worldy goods. With the rise of people overlanding, the term came to mean any person travelling and carrying a backpack. They were usually young and on a tight budget. This term became so common that some countries adopted policies towards backpackers, who were often seen as the great unwashed. Singapore was one such who frowned on the dreaded backpacker.

As the gap year era dawned, backpackers became more acceptable, although many preferred the term traveller as it made them seem more intrepid and less regulated.

The term has gone on to have even wider recognition. In Australia for example, backpacker is the generic term for low budget tourists, usually young, but not always. They had 'backpackers', which were hostels, usually in towns or tourist sites. The (people) backpackers rarely carried their packs any further than from the bus stop or tour van. Then there are backpacker hop on and off bus tickets; backpacker tours; and the wonderful and rather cotradictory backpacker car rentals.

Basically, the word means a variety of things depending on where, when and who you are talking to. Seems pretty similar for bikepacking.

MartinC wrote: ↑10 Aug 2021, 8:20am

Oldjohnw wrote: ↑10 Aug 2021, 8:05am Seems a bit like the old tired discussions about real cyclists as opposed to some other kind.

Exactly, but it provides endless amusement.

Cyclists v riders v bike users.

Walkers v pedestrians v foot user v hikers v ramblers v trekkers.

Backpack, rucksack, rucsac? Pack, sack or bag? Saddle bag v saddle pack? Driver or motorist? Someone or somebody?

The logical meaning of bikepacking would be packing a bike. A brompton rider would therefore qualify. I think the correctly trendy term for bikepacking is thus Rinko.

Things are not logical though - cycle oil is for oiling bicycles but palm oil isn't for oiling palms. Palms are actually greased but that means something else entirely.

Bmblbzzz wrote: ↑9 Aug 2021, 10:30pm The best and also the shortest description of bikepacking that I've heard is given by Lael Wilcox at 1:06 in this video:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyG8fD ... prZD-0TI6Q

For those who can't be bothered to follow that, she says "Bikepacking for me is carrying enough on your bike that you can ride somewhere and spend the night outside."

That may be Lael's definition, but what is most currently used in 2021 is much broader. Certainly includes B&Bs, or even just a day ride with more luggage than a "MAMIL".

The more common "narrowing" is riding without panniers, or other unfashionable kit.

Basically, it's cycle-touring, and covers the same wide range of trips and speeds; but with a new label so folks can feel more on-trend.

The Cycling Podcast (Lionel Birnie) interviewed Timmy Mallett for an hour, about a trip through France/Spain with a painting easel (!), staying mainly in gites. They never mentioned the "touring" word, not once - it was hilarious, like they were doing it for a bet!

(It was otherwise a very good program: https://podtail.com/da/podcast/the-tele ... y-mallett/)

simonhill wrote: ↑10 Aug 2021, 8:02am Bikepacking.
What I do when I check out of my hotel with my Super C's. Slide in stays, click on clips and all done the bike is packed. Am I missing something?

My mag arrive Friday morning.

I can understand some folks not wanting to use panniers because they can catch the vegetation... but then they show photos of bike packing bikes with handlebars which are wider than the width of my bike plus my front panniers, being ridden on a stoney track in the middle of a desert landscape.....
Whilst I can understand the next generation's emotional need to re-invent things, I do wonder if in this case it's a question of form over function....
Sigh.. I must be getting old...

I think "catching the vegetation" is a thing with lower level vegetation, undergrowth. And more than that, it's to do with ruts.

Still waiting expectantly in Lancashire….

Bmblbzzz wrote: ↑12 Aug 2021, 7:24pm I think "catching the vegetation" is a thing with lower level vegetation, undergrowth. And more than that, it's to do with ruts.

In the desert? On tracks that looks alot smoother than many of my local tarmaced lanes?......

Are you referring to some photos in the latest issue of Cycle mag? I'll have to have a look to remind myself what's in it.

Anywayz, any one journey might well cover multiple types of terrain, and deserts often have flash flood river gullies. Wadis in Arabia, arroyos in Mexico and the SW USA, I think, and other names in other desert areas.

Bmblbzzz wrote: ↑12 Aug 2021, 8:36pm Are you referring to some photos in the latest issue of Cycle mag? I'll have to have a look to remind myself what's in it.

Anywayz, any one journey might well cover multiple types of terrain, and deserts often have flash flood river gullies. Wadis in Arabia, arroyos in Mexico and the SW USA, I think, and other names in other desert areas.

Apologies, I was making reference to both the bikepacking websites, bikepacking.com and theradavist.com Whilst I appreciated the principles behind many of the cycles shown on each site, looking at many of the photos of the terrain in which these happy bikepacking people feature, does make me wonder if the bikes are perhaps over built.

..... It sort of puts me in mind of range rovers being purchased by people because some of the local roads are a bit muddy....

geocycle wrote: ↑12 Aug 2021, 7:47pm Still waiting expectantly in Lancashire….

It must have bypassed you. Mine turned up a couple days ago

mcshroom wrote: ↑13 Aug 2021, 12:45pm

geocycle wrote: ↑12 Aug 2021, 7:47pm Still waiting expectantly in Lancashire….

It must have bypassed you. Mine turned up a couple days ago

Still haven't received mine.

soapbox wrote: ↑18 Aug 2021, 1:30pm

mcshroom wrote: ↑13 Aug 2021, 12:45pm

geocycle wrote: ↑12 Aug 2021, 7:47pm Still waiting expectantly in Lancashire….

It must have bypassed you. Mine turned up a couple days ago

Still haven't received mine.

Me neither. Coincidentally I spoke to the distributor of the Dalesman magazine and they reported big problems due to isolating postal workers. Apparently magazines get low priority. Wonder if the mag is stuck in a post office centre somewhere?

geocycle wrote: ↑18 Aug 2021, 6:34pm

soapbox wrote: ↑18 Aug 2021, 1:30pm

mcshroom wrote: ↑13 Aug 2021, 12:45pm

It must have bypassed you. Mine turned up a couple days ago

Still haven't received mine.

Me neither. Coincidentally I spoke to the distributor of the Dalesman magazine and they reported big problems due to isolating postal workers. Apparently magazines get low priority. Wonder if the mag is stuck in a post office centre somewhere?

Be good if someone from Cycling UK could shed some light -via the mods, perhaps? It's a little reassuring that we're not alone though!