I have been looking at a route from Wawa to Sudbury on old and current logging/mining roads. It's not easy to plan - I've been using Komoot, but ridewithgps would works also. I just trace the route while on aerial view - it picks up some of the roads, but not all of them. I haven't looked at anything out near Thunder Bay, but there is a pretty good network of logging roads all over Northern Ontario.

Part of the route I have been dreaming up between Wawa and Sudbury includes the Sultan Road (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sultan_Industrial_Road). Might be a bit sketchy with some of the monster logging trucks up there, but interesting. Still not sure this is going to happen, but I'm keen to try it.

Thanks! Looks to be about 90 miles SW of St Louis. That could work - I will see what I can find for routes.

Hey all! I am tentatively planning to drive my wife to a conference in St Louis in late July and was thinking it might be a good opportunity for a short bikepacking trip. I've been looking at the options and I could do an out-and-back on the Katy Trail, but loops are always more fun. Does anyone know of any ideas for a short bikepacking trip somewhere near St Louis? Just looking for what options might be available.

Excellent! Thanks again!

Thanks Aushiker!

I have a question for you... do you ever ride without a drybag in the holder for the PR Mr Fusion? I won't always need to have the added carrying capacity and my concern would be what would the holder do when I'm riding with it unloaded. I guess I could just remove it when I don't need it, but I'm just trying to see from all angles. I've seen the holder for the Seatpacker, and it is reasonably small and doesn't move so riding without the bag on isn't really an issue.

Hey all,

I'm resurrecting this older thread instead of starting a new one.

Looking to finally purchase my first seat bag sometime within the next couple months. After watching a friend struggle with the stability and sway of his cheap made-in-china seat bag last year on a trip I am looking for something that is going to be very stable. I've done a fair bit of research and there are lots of options that seem like they would be good, but I wanted to see if people had any thoughts on the selections I am looking at.

First candidate, and the one I am leaning towards is the Seatpacker 15 from Arkel (That's why i resurrected this thread... )
https://www.arkel-od.com/en/seatpacker-15-bikepacking-seat-bag.html
These are available at my LBS (big plus IMO) and they incorporate a short aluminum rack that the bag hangs from. It's 15L which would be lots for anything I'm planing to do in the forseeable future. The guys at my LBS all have them and rave about their stability.

Second candidate is the Porcelain Rocket Mr Fusion.
https://porcelainrocket.com/products/mr-fusion?variant=32551022727
I like the removable drybag option, however as noted above, availability might be a problem. I would have to order these from PR directly, however since I live in Canada getting this shipped from Calgary would be relatively painless so that's a big plus as well.

Third candidate is the Revelate Viscacha
https://www.revelatedesigns.com/index.cfm/store.catalog/seat-bags/Viscacha
My concerns with this one are mainly related to stability, but this is a very popular bag that has been widely used for a long time. They are also available at my LBS.

These were my other considerations:
Ortlieb Seat-Pack - good reviews at bikepacking.com, available at my LBS
Bedrock Bags Coconino - love the railwing, but it gets tricky ordering things from USA into Canada (shipping rates/duty/taxes/etc.)

Does anyone have any experience with the Seatpacker yet? Any other suggestions or advice would also be appreciated. I'm just starting my second year of this stuff and man what a blast! Hoping to do a few more adventures this year than I did last year.

I would bet he wouldn't have wanted the race cancelled. Sad news.
That is what he lived and died for.

I get what you're saying and agree, but completely understand why they did. Stirring tribute by Kristoff posted on twitter.

Hall was the first pro endurance cyclist I knew about. My first exposure to this kind of event was watching Inspired To Ride. Amazing!

Hall will live on as a huge inspiration to all of us who aspire and attempt to do what many consider to be impossible with a bicycle. Remember him when your legs are numb and it feels like you're pedaling a 2 tonne bike into hurricane force winds. Remember him and keep going, stay strong and smile. You got this!

Thanks Mike! We hardly knew you.

Looks awesome! I like the combo of the roll and the zip. I just hemmed the edge of my roll top, sewing the fabric back on itself. Here's a good tutorial - just be careful with the iron on laminated fabric.

Another option, a la Porcelain rocket,  would be a stiffening rod at the edge of the roll top. A small diameter aluminum rod in a webbing sleeve would probably work well. Personally I haven't had the need to do that with my bags, but it could help with fabric bunching.

Thanks! Ive been testing it over the last couple weeks on my morning commute. I'm now wrapping the roll-top over the top tube which keeps it from rubbing on my leg better. I think just a folded seam will work just fine the way I am using it now, but I might consider some stiffener to keep the roll from bunching.

Appreciate the feedback!
Cheers!

In shock. Wow.
Terribe, terrible news.
Devastating.

Hey Dif! Welcome!

I'm pretty new here myself. I'm from London, Ontario. Have a couple trips already planned for June, but mostly roads due to where they are. This fall though I am hoping to do the Central Ontario Loop Trail. Miles Arbour mapped it out and it goes from Fenlon Falls through Cobourg, Trenton, Bancroft, Kawarthas, and back to Fenlon Falls. There is a significant portion on old rail lines converted to gravel trails.

Links about the route are here:
http://www.ridingfeelsgood.com/solo-bikepacking-central-ontario-loop-trail-colt/
http://www.bikepacking.com/routes/central-ontario-loop-trail/

Alpinist, I'd love to bike in BC one day. Definitely a bucket list thing for me!

No love for the IPWR here? I've been loosely following it. Kristof Allegaert out in front with Mike Hall right on his heels.

indianpacificwheelrace.com

Looking at my machine it looks like I'd be limited by the types of stitches it can do anyways. No reverse or X type patterns, only diagonal or straight stitches.

I have to be honest and say I don't even know what a zipper foot is - but now I'm going to find out.

Thanks for the advice.

Great advice, Thanks!

I like the vinyl siding idea, I think I will incorporate that into mine. Might need to look at adding a strap at the steer tube - mine is a little loose in there.

Edit... by the way, the bag in your photo looks amazing!

Hey all, I did it! Made myself a frame bag. I'm pretty happy with how it turned out since I'd never even used a sewing machine before this project. It's a roll top for the main compartment with a zippered pocket on the opposite side from the roll. It's 1000D Cordura on the body, and ripstop nylon on the inside of the pocket and on the roll top.

Question I have is - what do you finish the top of the roll with? Right now it's just the edge of the ripstop nylon and I think it needs something else, but I don't know what. Any suggestions?

Any other feedback (good or bad) on this Frankenstein bag would be appreciated.

Thought I'd chime in here... for those who are from Canada looking to get some fabric I recently ordered from paccana.com
Got exactly what I ordered and I had it in less than a week. Prices seem reasonable for what I got, I'm a happy customer and would shop there again. You need to register to get access to the prices, but it's pretty easy.

Cool!

Due to mainly financial reasons, I've set a tentative goal to do the TD in 2019. I am planning to do a few trips this year starting with a S24O in a couple months and a couple 4 or 5 day adventures later this summer.

I am still short on some appropriate gear - mainly I need a decent, small tent as the only one I own is an 8-man which I don't want to carry on my bike. Have a few bookmarked on Kijiji, but no dough at the moment.

So excited for the next few years of biking and beyond. Many adventures planned. 

Awesome! Thanks all!

I definitely will be doing some S24O trips this summer as well as a couple 5 day trips if I can swing it. Biggest thing for me now is finding the most appropriate gear within my limited budget to get started.

Appreciate all the feedback.

Hi!

I'm brand new to bikepacking and adventure riding, but have absolutely fallen in love with it... at least with the idea of it for now.

I've been riding for a long time, although not necessarily endurance riding, and I have lots of experience wilderness camping from several canoe trips I've taken. Never thought about combining the two until recently when I started looking for a new bike and stumbled into this world of bikepacking.

I bought a great bike (Bombtrack Beyond) last fall to replace my stolen road bike and have been riding it as much as I can. Being a northerner (Ontario, Canada) I avoid the roads when they are covered in salt so it's tough to get much riding in this time of year. In 2016 I cracked 3500 km (a little less than 2200 mi) over the late summer/fall, I plan to up that significantly in 2017.

Working full time most of my riding is done on my morning commute. During the riding months (March to November), most days I try to do a bit more than 60km (~40mi) before work. It would be tough to up that much with the time I have in the mornings. I'm planning to do a couple of week long routes (~500km or so) this summer, but I'd love to start planning to try the TD in 2018 or 2019. At 42 yrs old now, maybe it's a pipe dream, I don't know.

Beyond the training I'm avidly reading everything I can about bikepacking and starting to get some proper bike packs and other gear to make it happen.

I guess what I'm asking is how would I know when "I'm ready" to consider an attempt the TD? What kind of tours should I have done before I attempt the big one?

Thanks for your feedback! I admire all of you who have done things like the TD or other ultra-tours. Y'all are amazing!

-Jonathan

Steel. It's a Bombtrack Beyond. Awesome bike! Bombtrack makes good bikes.

I agree the headtube is unusual

Edit: the bike is similar in dimensions to a Salsa Fargo. Headtube would be roughly similar on a size L.