Your First Bikepacking Adventure: A Real-World Guide for Families and Weekend Explorers
Whether you're rolling out solo on a quick overnighter or packing up the kids for a weekend in the wild, bikepacking is one of the most freeing, flexible ways to explore the outdoors. The beauty? There’s no one right way to do it — only the setup that works for you.
At Side Quest Overland, we’re all about making adventure doable — with full-time jobs, school schedules, and everything life throws at us. Here’s your no-fluff guide to getting started with bikepacking, including tips for gear, planning, and real-life roadblocks.
🚲 The Bikepacking Setup: Ride What You’ve Got
The most common question we hear?
"What’s the best bike for bikepacking?"
Our answer:
The one you already have.
Seriously. You don’t need carbon everything or a brand-new rig. You just need something that fits, rolls, and can handle the terrain you’re planning to ride. The perfect setup is the one that gets you out the door.
🛠️ Pro Tip: Focus on three things — frame, wheels, and drivetrain. These should work together and match the terrain you’ll ride most often.
🧳 The Gear: Essentials, Comforts & Real-Life Use
Packing for a bikepacking trip is all about balance — between weight, weather, and what you’re willing to live without.
Here’s a gear checklist that works from quick overnights to multi-day loops:
🚴♂️ Bikepacking Bags 101:
Frame Bag – Great for heavier gear like tools, food, or power banks.
Seat Bag – Lightweight clothes or a sleeping bag go here.
Handlebar Roll – Tent, sleeping pad, or other bulky but light items.
Top Tube Bag – Your snack and phone zone.
Feed Bags – Perfect for ride-ready fuel and hydration.
Fork Cages – Add extra water or stove gear to your fork legs.
🧵 Need to carry more? You can always add panniers on racks if you’re doing a more relaxed, gear-heavy trip (especially with kids).
🏕️ Camping Basics:
Tent, bivy, or hammock (whatever fits your setup)
Sleeping bag + sleeping pad
Lightweight stove + fuel
Water bottles + filter/purifier
Headlamp + spare batteries
First aid kit + multi-tool
Emergency blanket, whistle, patch kit
🔥 Real Talk: One time we forgot our stove and ended up cooking oatmeal over a fire pit with a multi-tool and a titanium mug. It worked. Barely. Pack what matters.
🗺️ How to Plan Your Route (and Make It Fun)
Start simple. Choose a destination that excites you but doesn’t require hero miles or a ton of logistics.
Here’s what to consider:
Your fitness level (and your family’s, if you’re not solo)
Distance and elevation gain
Terrain: dirt, gravel, sand, singletrack?
Water sources and food stops
Legal camping spots or stealth options
Cell service, weather forecast, and wildlife
🧭 Best Beginner Move? Try a one-night out-and-back. You’ll dial in your gear and setup before committing to multi-day trips.
🧠 Logistics & Safety: The Stuff You Shouldn’t Skip
Here’s your checklist to make the trip smooth — and safe:
Download offline maps (Komoot, Ride with GPS, Gaia)
Let someone know your route + return time
Pack for weather changes (layers > bulk)
Bring ID, emergency contacts, cash/card
Carry backup power bank + charging cable
Know your route’s camping, fire, and wildlife rules
Have a repair kit and know how to use it
🧒 Family Tip: Make it fun for the kids — give them “jobs” like navigating, snack managing, or spotting wildlife.
🌄 Embrace the Adventure
When you're out there, things won’t always go to plan — and that’s part of the story. Go slow, stay flexible, and soak in the experience.
✅ Pace yourself
✅ Take breaks
✅ Leave no trace
✅ Take photos
✅ Laugh when it gets weird
📸 Tag us @SideQuestOverland on Instagram or YouTube — we’d love to feature your family’s ride or first overnighter!
🏁 Final Thought: Adventure Is a Mindset
Bikepacking isn’t about crushing miles. It’s about stepping away from the noise and doing something just a little wild with the time and gear you’ve got.
Have a question? Want to share your first trip plan? Drop it in the comments.
Let’s help more people see that adventure doesn’t require quitting your job — just saying yes to the side quest.
