Cycling UK Forum

I've done a few distance trips and had all the fun of carrying a tent on my bike. Usually it's strapped to the back rack.
As it is the heaviest part of the luggage, has anyone tried riding with it in a backpack and does it make it easier?
Physics professors, please make it simple... thanks

IMHO no, put the wieght on the bike.
If you put it on your back you raise the centre of gravity and put all the wieght on your posterior!!! Not at all comfy over long distances.

On the bike - why carry it yourself?

As low as you can, and as centrally as you can - but on the bike.

I never carry anything on my back if I can help it. Of course if you're off roading then the rules change somewhat...

We encourage new riders on our Saturday leisure rides and many of them turn up with backpacks. After a short while they usually progress to carrying essentials in rack bags or similar.

On bike no contest.

Cheers chaps... Looks like it's staying on the back rack... best get a lighter tent!!!

A trailer is another option.

When I was in the Italian Alps last year there were loads of mountainbikers doing various TransAlp routes with their stuff in backpacks. No doubt they were sleeping in refuges etc, but it's perfectly feasible to carry a reasonable load (probably 30 litres is the maximum).

But clearly if you have a pannier rack then it makes most sense to put the load on that.

Chum of mine did Strasbourg-Perpignan with a 7-kilo rucksack. It was hot, we sweated. His shoulders were flayed on arrival.

On the bike.

I started off with a backpack and the bike used to sway about on long steep descents. Lowering the weight via panniers brought more stability

I think if you are riding off road on narrow technical tracks etc. then there may be an advantage to having the weight on your back as it gives you greater control (and the bag is less likely to part company or get snagged etc.). But I wouldn't want to carry a tent that way. But for anything else then, on the bike!

Always on the bike, theres no point carrying stuff on your back if your bikes desgined to carry loads.

Thank's for all your feedback.

Looks like it's on the rack.