Trade offs

[Beef]

What trade-offs do you consider when long-distance bikepacking? For example, how should I think about the trade-off of speed vs. riding time? Should I push the envelope on speed and rest more at camp, or ease off on speed and spend more time pedaling at an easier pace?

This is just one example of trade-offs. What trade-offs do you consider, and how do you think about them?

[John Nettles]

I assume you mean bike touring or bike packing, not back packing.  Anyway, this is too dependent on the individual trip.  There are trade offs of all kinds:  longer distance w/less traffic vs. shorter w/traffic; shorter distance or longer with services, scenery, flatter, etc.; something you want to see/do vs. headwinds, cost, distance, etc.; carrying stuff vs. lighter weight in the hills, training vs. not going on the trip (my big one as I rarely ride for recreational, just tour); etc.

Perhaps if you have a specific situation, the question could be answered better.  Tailwinds, John

[davidbonn]

... What trade-offs do you consider, and how do you think about them?

This is again a pretty broad question.

What I'd say is that on the average some combination of poor weather, poor riding conditions, and lack of interesting things to see along the route will usually cause me to push on further and go faster than I otherwise would plan or prefer.

Although sometimes poor weather and visibility will force me to end the day's ride early or at least stop until things are at least a bit less bad.

Sometimes the Route Gods smile upon you, sometimes they sneer, and sometimes they smirk.  Knowing how to roll with it all and maintain a positive attitude, a sense of humor about your predicaments, and patience with yourself is key to keeping your morale up and keeping yourself on the road.

This game is 99% psychological.  Having your head in the right place is more important than any piece of gear you might or might not be carrying.

[jamawani]

I find that I enjoy my riding days more when I take the approach -
"I'll get there when I get there."
Where the "when" and the "there" can be whatever.

[John Nelson]

Don't get so focused on getting there that you don't enjoy where you are.

[davidbonn]

Oh, and it seems that "bike packing" and "bike touring" are now used interchangeably.  Kind of an interesting question what precisely they mean if they have two different definitions.  A lot of videos on youtube and a lot of blog posts don't seem to distinguish between the two activities.

[froze]

Bicycle touring should be enjoyed, and not see how fast you can get someplace, take a leisurely pace and enjoy the moments and places you ride by and ride to.

[davidbonn]

Yeah, if you are in such a hurry you probably should have taken a plane...

 

[David W Pratt]

In my experience, the words schedule and bike should not be used in the same sentence, or even the same paragraph.

[John Nettles]

In my experience, the words schedule and bike should not be used in the same sentence, or even the same paragraph.

But you just used both in a sentence and a paragraph 

[zzzz]

Just to show that that there are as many opinions as there are people, what I prefer is contrary to most of your previous replies…..

I’m always on a schedule, I have a plane ticket out to one city and a plane ticket back from another city 30 days later. And I have no problem with that. My tours have been great, best thing I have ever done recreationally, but there’s other things I need to attend to as well.

And despite the fact that I’m always pushing myself for distance and pace on my trips I have seemingly an endless supply of great memories from my 7 tours of around 30 days each. And while I’m sure I rode right by a lot of cool stuff, I’m sure as well that I’ve seen a lot that I would have missed if I had covered a shorter distance.

When you look at it from the side of making your trip from the pov of what YOU want the trade-offs become pretty obvious.

For me, my priorities are:

- string together a bunch of places I really want to see
- I always ride alone, 30 days of no negotiation about anything is very nice!
- I ride as light as possible because I don’t like the sluggish way a heavy bike feels
- my trips have all been in the shoulder season to avoid the worst of crowds
- I set an ambitious schedule because I like to feel I did something physically difficult

You will have your own priorities, the answer to all trade-offs flow from there.

Pete

[John Nelson]

I have a schedule, but that doesn't mean that I'm in a hurry.

[davidbonn]

I plan my trips, but I also plan to ditch my plan.

[BikeFreak]

My trade off is to go slow but for more hours each day.

[BikeliciousBabe]

I have a schedule, but that doesn't mean that I'm in a hurry.

+1.  Although sometimes I have a schedule and I am in a hurry, like if I have to catch a ferry or train or wait many hours for the next one.  In situations like that, I am not going to stop and smell the proverbial roses.

All things aside, touring should be about what each individual feels it should be about for them.