Biketouring or Bikepacking ?
When you are planning your first trip you are probably asking yourself what the difference is between biketouring and bikepacking and what types of panniers (bike bags) will suit your adventure best. Well we got you!
Biketouring
Biketouring is mostly done on roads and cycling paths. If your tires allow it you can go off-road. As you see in the picture when biketouring, you carry a lot of stuff with you, some things you might just use for fun, like a small instrument or other things like a lot of camera gear. The weight is distributed to the sides and to the back of your bike, which leads to it to be not aerodynamic.
This set-up suits you best if you cycle slowly for a long time, like 80-120km a day for a few months to years. It is the perfect setup if you go on holiday adventure and want the extra pair of clothes or something else on you, which you might not use much, but you will be happy when you have it on you.
Bikepacking
Bikepacking is the opposite of bike-touring, you will be cycling on roads, but your tracks will also be mostly off-road. As you see in this picture the panniers are attached to your frame, which allows for a more centered weight distribution and a more aerodynamic position. As you might have noticed you can attach small bag on the front fork, to allow to carry a bit more stuff or food with you.
This setup is for those who are seeking the real off-road adventures, those who want to get the distance in or do ultra endurance cycling (races) with distances of more then 180km a day. This is the perfect option to be lightweight and only have the necessary gear on you.
