Thanks!

[MikeC]

This site may not have breathed its last breath, but it does seem to be gasping for air.

Not exactly sure where everyone goes to discuss this sort of thing these days.  Maybe there's enough advertorial being pumped out that discussion is moot?!

I doubt that.

Anyhoo, just wanted to say thanks to Scott for keeping it going so long, and thanks to all that have contributed through the years.

[AZTtripper]

This site may have helped jump start bikepacking, but yeah there's not much action at the old school forum based site. 

The .com site pumps out info daily and there are facebook groups for states and races, local bike shops leading group camp outs.

If the goal of this site was to jump start bikepacking I think it has succeeded in that goal.

The forum @ Mountain Project is always busy, but its mostly climbers arguing, lost and found, and seemingly a drain on resources for the host, so maybe it's all for the best.

So if your fav trail is overrun with bikepackers you'll know who to blame, Thanks Scott.

ps I still come here and try to be the helpful guy there's just not much action.

[MikeC]

Thanks for your help through the years here, too.

Wait, what?!  "Trail" overrun with bikepackers?!

Good one.  Everyone knows that bikepacking is done on gravel -- you know, with drop bars and a dangle mug.

[AZTtripper]

Dangle mug! Gravel gets you to the next trail a necessary evil if you will.

I end up on the yearly AZT class of facebook groups, the thru hiker types often comment about all of the bikes on the trail, as we are banned on the big three trails they do they get used to not seeing us, I have seen positive comments that the bikepacking crowd are more friendly towards hikers.

In 15 years bp kit has gone from email order and wait, to pick it up at REI even the tiny bike shop in south Tucson has a handle bar harness in stock.

Luckily there seems to be nothing about bikepacking that gets people wound up or atracts trolling the way they do at the climbing forum, it seems like every day theres a post that is deleted for breaking the first rule: don't be a jerk. They will take a rant and just run with it, once they get close to 20 pages they start post crap just to get to 20 pages. I doubt Scott wants to have to deal with that and I don't want to volunteer to moderate either.

Next up ebikepacker.net....   

[evdog]

Apparently, according to some schmo media hack, you are only bikepacking if you're racing.  Otherwise you are just touring.   

I have always appreciated the knowledge and routes developed by bikepackers on this forum and have enjoyed meeting forum members at different races. 

Routes being propagated by commercial websites seem to be poorly researched and lack soul and real challenge.  They seem to put more effort into catchy names than actually scouting quality routes. 

Thankfully there aren't enough chargers out there for ebikers to take over any of the best bikepacking routes. 

[MikeC]

Routes being propagated by commercial websites seem to be poorly researched and lack soul and real challenge.  They seem to put more effort into catchy names than actually scouting quality routes. 

Ha!  I have a personal rule that I won't ride anything with "ramble", "rambler", "tango", or "divide" in the name.

Commercial websites are largely catering to the least common denominator, which means gravel routes.  Nothing wrong with that, other than some of us don't want to ride where a car can be driven...

[AZTtripper]

Apparently, according to some schmo media hack, you are only bikepacking if you're racing.  Otherwise you are just touring.  

Apparently, there's now bikepacking overlanding style: so machismo meets capitalistic materialism?

https://bikepacking.com/plog/overlanding-whats-in-a-name/?fbclid=IwAR1vlpul4U_BK7RP7l9UngkXZJiexXjG9bWyJqoAebIQSSEZfK3-s1XIQOo

Started out as a pretty cool trip report but turned into an add for bikepacking.com



 

[phatmike]

This place has always been amazing - sad that the discussion has moved on mostly to other platforms. There is still so much to learn here and the discussions involving the "OGs" here is like gold for those who find it.

[ScottM]

If the goal of this site was to jump start bikepacking I think it has succeeded in that goal.

I like this. Hard to say what the goal of the site really was -- just bringing the community together and giving us a place to hash things out, I suppose.

So if your fav trail is overrun with bikepackers you'll know who to blame, Thanks Scott.

Ha, bikepacking (in the way we initially envisioned it -- on trails, in the back country) is just too damn hard for that to ever happen.

Anyhoo, just wanted to say thanks to Scott for keeping it going so long, and thanks to all that have contributed through the years.

You're welcome. It's a little sad that other less desirable platforms are where people discuss, meet and heckle, but time marches on...

Thanks to everyone who has contributed here and those that still check in from time to time.

I plan to keep these forums around indefinitely, even if things are quieting to a whisper. The archive is still useful or fun to dig into.

[AZTtripper]

Glad to see the forum back up, who knows as time marches on, whats old is new, someday maybe people will tire of those less desirable platforms and come back for the OG experience.

[seanwggns]

Glad to see the forum back up, who knows as time marches on, whats old is new, someday maybe people will tire of those less desirable platforms and come back for the OG experience.

   
Lets hope so! Ive enjoyed reading the trip reports from MikeC, Evdog and others for years. Like you said, hopefully it all comes back around.

[offroute]

Good thoughts?

Thanks, Scott, for keeping the fire lit. And to the base of users here ? quality over quantity with no posing is always refreshing. And no one asking about TT bag options for carrying a selfie stick on their 15-mi ride. See, we can gatekeep as well as Mountain Project!

I'm still enthusiastic for bikepacking. I'll see you like-minded riders here and elsewhere.

PS: Credit where it's due: Apostrophes are no longer converted to question marks, woohoo! About those en dashes... ; )

[cjdunn]

Forums are so much more efficient than Facebook posts.  No scrolling through so much crap.  Ask the question- get answers. Search for something-find it.  Done!  I like it.

[taprider]

Thank you Scott and everyone
this format is still the best

[Gimmearaise]

I still find myself on here from time to time and on Scott's blog. There is so much awesome history. I'm forever thankful for this forum and those who have helped answer my many questions. Also, BP.NET still has the best emojis on the internet.

Much love,

Neil