If you’ve been on Instagram recently (and you definitely have), you’ll have encountered moustached men riding bicycles around the world, having the best time of their lives. These videos can prompt two reactions: you immediately close Instagram, purchase a bicycle and begin growing a moustache of your own. Or, the more likely option – you get jealous, feel insecure about your lack of knowledge about bikes, and continue to hopelessly scroll through Reels for the next 45 minutes.
If you’ve reacted the first way, fantastic, best of luck with your new adventures. But if your reaction is more akin to the second, we’re here to show you that bicycles aren’t that scary – especially if you opt for one that was originally produced several decades ago.
See, bikepacking culture as a whole has been steadily growing since COVID-19, but within that, a small subset of individuals who purposely purchase old bikes has also been gaining a foothold. The rising popularity of Reddit communities like r/xbiking & Instagram accounts such as @unknown.route & @presta.94 are all proof of this. People who subscribe to this retro ideology aren’t bothered about speed, good brakes or aerodynamics. Instead, they value functionality and adventure.
Stripping a bicycle to the frame, building it up, and getting to know it inside and out is the perfect formula for creating the ultimate adventure vehicle. Any issue encountered on the road, you’ll be able to identify in an instant. And thanks to the lack of hydraulics, internal cable routing and modern tech on retro bikes, you definitely won’t need an engineering degree to fix it. Just a few spanners and a can-do attitude. And a moustache, preferably.
Another benefit of purchasing an old bicycle is customisation. Grabbing a new state-of-the-art bike is like marching into Harrods and grabbing the most expensive Canada Goose jacket that first meets your eye – nice, but a pretty hollow experience. Buying a retro bike is like nursing a vintage Eddie Bauer jacket back to life. Infinitely rewarding.
If we’ve not sold you on the whole thing, turn away now, and go back to Instagram Reels. But if we have, look below for our complete guide to retro bikepacking. Everything you’ll need, nothing you don’t + how and where to get these things from.
Bicycle
Obviously, the first thing you’re going to need to go retro bikepacking is a retro bicycle. And if you know where to look, there are tons of them. But before we suggest where to look, we’ll tell you what to look for…
The gold standard is a ’90s mountain bike. 26-inch wheels, made of steel and borderline indestructible. These frames are the perfect platform for a retro bikepacking rig, but there are a few things to be mindful of. Firstly any damage to the frame. Small dings and scratches – absolutely fine. Cracks and holes – probably not. You’ll also want to make sure the seat post isn’t stuck, unless you fancy wrestling with the frame for the rest of eternity. For bikepacking, it’s also preferable to get a bicycle with a rigid fork (the bit that goes over the front wheels). Provided that all three of those criteria are right, you’re good to go. Nice components are a bonus, but don’t get too caught up trying to find a bicycle with a pristine drivetrain – everything is replaceable.
A handful of brands we’d recommend keeping an eye out for are – Specialized, GT, Cannondale, Kona, Diamondback, Dawes, Schwinn, and Raleigh. Just make sure to avoid the dirt-cheap, Halfords special jobs.
Finally, you’ll want to get a bike that fits you. We can’t stress this point enough. Buying a frame too big or too small is guaranteed to lead to disappointment.
Regarding searching, we’d first recommend heading over to Facebook Marketplace. Just don’t type ‘retro bike‘, unless you want to scroll through pages and pages of wildly overpriced bicycles. Instead, just search ‘bike‘ and put in the hard yards. Patience pays off; don’t rush in and buy the first nice bicycle you see. Make sure it fits, view it in person, and above all – make sure you like it.
If Facebook Marketplace doesn’t yield any results. Try Ebay. Try Gumtree. Head down to your local bike shop and see what they’ve got in. If you can’t seem to find anything, you’re simply not looking hard enough.
Bicycle Accessories & Kit
Once you’ve acquired a bike, it’s more than likely that it won’t be running in tip-top condition. If you’re feeling confident enough, we’d advise stripping to the frame, cleaning everything and putting it back together – grabbing any new bits you may need along the way. But if you’re not feeling so confident, we’d once again suggest heading back to your local bike shop to get some advice. Remember, one of the main pulls of retro bikepacking is that nothing is too complicated to repair or replace – so try not to get intimidated. YouTube is going to be your mentor for the next couple of weeks, and we recommend channels like Garys Projects.
After a bit of elbow grease, a few new cables, and some actual grease, you should have your new steed running pretty smoothly. The next thing you’re going to want to do is throw a load of bikepacking accessories at it. Racks, frame bags, wide handlebars, chunky-ish tyres. Everything in this department is subjective, but the two main objectives are a) Having enough storage for your luggage and b) Making the ride as comfortable as possible.
A handful of our suggestions can be found below:
Perhaps not what the brand is most known for, but Montbell produce some very solid cycling gear. Case in point: this handlebar bag. Perfect for stowing a mix of smelly underwear, portable chargers and haribos.
Rear racks function as the pack horse of your bicycle. Designed to carry large loads over rough terrain, these aren’t just a nicety; they’re a necessity. And this Surly rack is going to be as solid as any.
Safety is paramount when bikepacking, and that’s where this BLUE LUG rear reflector comes in. Nowhere near as important as a helmet, but it most certainly looks cooler.
Tyres are going to make the single biggest difference to the ride of your new bicycle, and you can’t do much better than a pair of Panaracer GravelKings. Suitable for just about anything from road to light trail use, these have become a staple amongst retro bikepacking communities. Get the SK+ version if you’re after enhanced puncture protection.
Keeping fuelled while your crunching up the kilometres is important. And this Fjallraven Snack Bag is the perfect home for a medley of mid-ride treats.
Lone Peak Superior Pannier Set
To prevent scraping up all your belongings from the roadside every couple of kilometres, you’re going to want to invest in a good set of pannier bags. This Lone Peak set certainly isn’t cheap, but the Made-in-U.S.A. quality will ensure they last you a lifetime of adventures.
Water bottles. A very obvious cycling accessory, but a vital one. Slap a few of these Pas Normal Studios bidons into your bottle cages, and drink out of them mid-ride like you’re about to win the Tour De France.
Cycling clothing & accessories
You’re so nearly there. You’ve got a bike, fixed & dressed it up, and now it looks the part. The only thing that doesn’t… is you.
Fortunately, there aren’t any fast and hard rules to bikepacking clothing – this isn’t a Lycra-required, spend loads of money sort of job. Just grab what you feel comfortable in, and be mindful that it’s going to get covered in dirt, grease and bits of road. With that said, there are a few things we’d advise grabbing before setting off around the world, mainly sunglasses, shorts, headwear and some form of waterproof.
All these items – as minor as they may seem – are going to make your bikepacking experience that little bit more enjoyable. We’d also avoid overpacking: instead, come to terms with the fact that you’re probably going to smell pretty funky for the majority of your trip – just turn your t-shirt inside out every now and then.
Here’s a small selection of gear we deem suitable:
Senchi Designs Alpha 90 Half-Zip Hoodie
These Senchi Designs hoodies are an absolute game-changer. They weigh next to nothing and manage to regulate temperature like nobody’s business. Chuck one in your handlebar bag. Forget about it. Whip it out when the temperature begins to dip.
Breeze past motorists while wearing this Presta94 tee, and just maybe you’ll end up converting one of them.
Ponchos are the ideal bikepacking waterproof, and this Montbell one comes in an aptly hi-vis shade of green – protecting you from the rain, and dozy drivers.
Bedrock’s Mountain Clogs are up there with one of the best inventions of the 21st century. Incredibly comfortable, ultra hardwearing, and a Vibram sole means you’re not going to slip your pedals.
Shorts might just be the biggest cycling essential of all. Have you ever tried riding a bicycle in trousers? Horrible experience. These Patagonia Terrebone Shorts are lightweight, relaxed and quick drying. Perfect for long days spent on the road.
Unless you want to have Lego hair for the majority of your trip, you should seriously consider wearing a cap under your helmet. This Fjallraven one is also equipped with reflective detailing, for added steez and safety.
Somewhere To Sleep
Bike? Sorted. Bike accessories? Sorted. Bike apparel? Sorted. Somewhere to sleep? Absolutely not sorted.
Unless you fancy slumping over your handlebars for the night, we’d recommend packing a tent, sleeping bag and sleep mat. Some people opt for hammocks, while others with large budgets aim to sleep in hostels every night – but that’s not really in the spirit of adventure, is it?
The most important things about picking somewhere to sleep while bikepacking are to make sure your new home doesn’t weigh a ton and that it’s somewhat comfy-ish. You could send yourself down ultralightweight Reddit rabbit holes for hours, but to save you the trouble, we’ve thrown together three things that will do the job just fine.
Big Agnes Copper Spur UL2 Bikepack
Specifically designed for bikepacking, this Big Agnes tent stows into a bag that can be thrown easily over your handlebars. Very lightweight, fully waterproof, and simple enough to set up even when you’re feeling very jaded.
Rab Ascent 700 Down Sleeping Bag (-9C)
Rab knows about sleeping bags. The brand started out specialising in them and have spent 40+ years honing their craft. This Ascent Sleeping Bag is constructed of 650FP Duck Down, and is rated to -9C – plenty warm enough for almost everywhere that has roads.
Rab Stratosphere 5.5 Sleep Mat
Don’t make the mistake of sleeping in a tent without a sleep mat – it simply isn’t worth it. Turns out the ground is much colder than you think. To avoid freezing to death, you should definitely pack something like this Rab Stratosphere into one of your panniers.
Right that should about do it. You’ve got everything you need to set off around the world on your new, old bicycle. Of course, there are loads of bits we’ve missed out – we could have written a whole article just on underwear and navigation devices alone. But we like to think this has more or less covered the basics. Remember, the main objective is to have fun, and that adventure often materialises from being unprepared. Embrace the unknown. And definitely make sure you’ve got a comfy saddle.
