Cycling and wearing a small to medium backpack

[Mary Posey]

My husband and I have decided to rent bicycles due to a medical issue with my feet. We still want to carry a small to medium sized back pack to carry extra socks, snacks etc instead of using the panniers because we will be carrying a backpack from home in addition to our medium sized duffle bag on wheels with our clothing, toiletries and so forth. Does anyone have any suggestions on wearing a backpack while cycling. Ours will only be about 5 kg or so.

 

[Deleted member 67185]

A couple of things to note:

1. Upper body, core conditioning
2. A pack that fits well and is balanced, and that is snug to the back so that it won't throw you off balance.
3. you are able to comfortably mount and dismount the bike easily.

The day after I graduated from high-school back in 1971, I took an old Huffy 10 speed bike, strapped on a 38 pound Camp Trails external frame pack, and rode from Tacoma, Washington to San Francisco for an adventure and to see some extended family. I sold the bike when I arrived so that I could buy a bus ticket back home when I got ready to leave.

 

[whariwharangi]

My husband and I have decided to rent bicycles due to a medical issue with my feet. We still want to carry a small to medium sized back pack to carry extra socks, snacks etc instead of using the panniers because we will be carrying a backpack from home in addition to our medium sized duffle bag on wheels with our clothing, toiletries and so forth. Does anyone have any suggestions on wearing a backpack while cycling. Ours will only be about 5 kg or so.

I would strongly recommend that you do not wear a back pack while cycling. Ergonomically, packs are designed to wear while walking upright with your back straight. This is particularly true if the pack has any reinforcement. If you try to cycle with a pack where your back is arched over the handle bars for hours you will be in excruciating pain in a short while.

Don't believe me ... try it before you travel.

 

[Bajaracer]

Find out from the bike rental place if they can add racks and panniers to the rental bikes, the most you want on on your back is a hydration pack, nothing else.

 

[newfydog]

Why not go with some sort of bike bag? While many cyclists wear small camelback bags, even they are avoided by experienced bike tourers. You will be much better off with your gear on the bike.

 

[Kanga]

I really don't want to push Aarn packs more than I do (absolutely no commercial or any other connection) but they do make a pack designed for bike riders. It's the Liquid Agility - see here https://www.aarnpacks.com/light-all-purpose-day-pack
But as a non bike rider, I'd be advised by someone who is - like @newfydog

 

[Sixwheeler]

You'll HATE it.

 

[newfydog]

Arkel finally has an affordble and light bike pannier. Check out Arkel dry-lites They can be rolled up very compact, are super light and waterproof.

 

[Cambridge Pilgrim]

If the rental bike comes with panniers and you're happy using them, why not just transfer your kit to the panniers and wear your empty/near-empty rucksack on your back? Many of the discomfort problems raised above then go away.

If you don't like panniers (I know I don't), you can still fit a lot on a rear rack, centrally mounted, taking much of the weight off your back.

 

[edumad]

I have biked the camino several times, never with paniers.
My first camino I used a 30L backpack, it was too heavy and I suffered a bit on the lower back and backside.
But I saw my friends using paniers on mountainbikes and having bolts falling, we had to canibalize from other parts of the bike and buy some on the way.

So, not wanting to pay for expensive paniers and having seen some issues with them I opted again for backpack on the next camino. I used a normal backpack but with an air venting system. It helped keeping the back dryer but the big difference was having less weight.

For the Camino Interior and later on the Francés, I used a smaller backpack and a dry bag on the seat post. A home-made bikepacking solution.

SDC17613 by eduardodourado, on Flickr
IMG_1757.jpg by eduardodourado, on Flickr
The back pack is a 17L trail backpack it does not project much out the back and is made to hug the body, a regular sized body anyway, with me its a stretch
It allows me to take plenty of water (2L) which I usually need on hoter days. This constitutes the majority of the 4-5kg of the backpack setup.
IMG_1662.jpg by eduardodourado, on Flickr

I recommend this setup for the trails. I remember seing people struggling with paniers on their bikes, including my camino companions, along the less cyclable uphills, such as Labruja.

I feel the bike behaviour is not much changed and with less weight on the torso, it is easier to move on the bike to handle the trails.

I definately do not recommend going with large ungainly backpacks. The friend pictured had a very large backpack, which was too heavy and always moving around. Not good for balance.

SDC17606 by eduardodourado, on Flickr

For road cycling and non tehnical trails, I think paniers will be a great option.
Up towards O Cebreiro we met various peregrinos and bicigrinos. These were taking it easy like us, but I was amazed at the amount of stuff the packed in the paniers and other bags.
IMG_1713.jpg by eduardodourado, on Flickr

Main point, whatever solution you go for: reduce the weight of your bags.

 

[William Marques]

I have cycled toured with back packs and panniers and if you keep the size of the back pack down and if necessary like edumad attach a dry-bag to the seat post I see no problem. Panniers can be unwieldy if you are not used to them that is why I have taken to using 4 small panniers 2 at front and 2 at back rather than the heavy 2 back pannier standard solution.

I have never found wearing a backpack on a bike a problem even on the VdlP in August and you can fit a Camelback or similar in it too..