Bikepacking Prep Checklist: Gear List, Logistics, Bike Check

Bikepacking can feel like pure freedom once you’re finally on the road or trail. But pre-trip packing and planning can feel a bit overwhelming, especially if you’re new to this wonderful sport. 

To demystify the prep process and help you get out the door, I’ve condensed my tens of thousands of miles of experience into this bikepacking checklist with three sections:

• Gear and Packing List
• Logistics and Planning Checklist
• Bike Readiness Checklist

Of course it’s impossible to craft a single bikepacking checklist perfect for any trip in any place. You’ll need to apply some common sense to adapt these lists to your own needs. They are generally geared toward bikepacking-style trips with lots of off-pavement riding, possibly in remote areas where you’ll need to be reasonably self-sufficient.

Use this bikepacking checklist to get a feel for what bikepacking entails, figure out what key gear you’re missing, or do a final check as you pack your bags.

Bikepacking Gear Checklist

The most burning question many beginner bikepackers have is: what do I need to pack? Our goal is to have everything we need and nothing we don’t, so a dialed-in gear list is very important. 

The bikepacking gear list below might seem like a lot to deal with, but after a few trips you’ll start mentally grouping your gear into systems: clothing system, sleep and shelter system, bike and bag system, food and water systems, etc. Everything you carry is designed to support a part of the simple bikepacking life: ride, eat, drink, sleep, and repeat.

* Optional: In the list below I’ve used * to mark items that should be considered in the context of your particular trip (weather, traffic, remoteness, etc.) or that are often a matter of personal preference.

Sleep:

• Tent, tarp, bivy, or other shelter
• Sleeping bag or quilt
• Sleeping pad
• Pillow (could be a stuff sack of clothes)

Clothing:

• Base layer shirt
• Shorts or pants
• Chamois shorts*
• Mid-layer warm shirt
• Mid-layer warm tights
• Down or fleece jacket
• Rain jacket or windbreaker
• Rain pants*

Accessories:

• Helmet
• Cycling gloves
• Warm gloves*
• Rain booties*
• Sunglasses
• Sun sleeves*
• Buff or bandana
• Spare socks
• Camp sandals*

Food and Water:

• Stove and fuel*
• Pot and/or mug
• Utensil
• Animal-resistant food storage bag*
• Water bladders and bottles
• Water filter or purifier

Related: Bikepacking Food Guide

Bike:

• Bags and racks
• Small backpack, if needed*
• Tools and spares
• Helmet mirror or other safety items*
• Tail light, head light*
• High-viz vest or flag*
• Bike lock*

Electronics:

• Navigation device: phone or GPS
• Power bank(s)
• Charging cables
• Wall charger
• SPOT or Garmin satellite communicator*
• Headlamp
• Ear buds*
• Spare batteries, as needed

Toiletries:

• Sunscreen
• Chapstick
• Chamois cream*
• Toothbrush
• Toothpaste
• Toilet paper and plastic baggie for used TP
• Baby wipes*
• Other personal items

Odds and Ends:

• First aid kit
• Wallet and ID
• Cash for campgrounds, permits, etc.
• Paper maps or backup navigation
• Bear spray*
• Ziplock baggies and trash bag liners for waterproofing gear*

You’ll notice that the packing list for a two month trip isn’t actually much different than for a two day trip!

Importance of Packing Light

Even when limited to the gear list above, bikepackers have a wide range of preferences when it comes to balancing luxury versus weight.

A roomy 3-pound tent checks the “shelter” box, but so does an ultralight 8 ounce bivy. Which would you rather spend a long rainy night in? Which would you rather carry on your bike up a steep hill?

In my opinion the golden rule is this: everything you’re carrying should be something that is worth it to you to carry. Love to read? Bring a book or Kindle, by all means. But if you find that you didn’t read it on your first trip, don’t bring it on your second. 

Bikepacking can include rough terrain and steep hills, so the cost of carrying extra weight can be higher than road touring. During a tough hike-a-bike up a steep, slippery, rutted dirt road, you’ll want to know that everything on your bike is there to either keep you safe or bring you joy.

Logistics and Planning Checklist

This section of the bikepacking checklist is all about the logistical tasks needed to plan a bikepacking trip, from transportation to itinerary planning to essential resupply knowledge and safety backups.

You won’t need to do all these things for every trip, and different riders will have different levels of comfort with figuring things out on the fly. 

Planning

• Get familiar with your route and its difficulty (elevation profile, terrain, surfaces, etc.)
• Identify water resupply points
• Identify food resupply points (and confirm store hours if needed)
• Identify potential campsites and/or lodging options
• Plan your itinerary and food schedule (approximate is ok, it might change)
• Make camping or lodging reservations if needed
• Acquire any necessary permits
• Identify possible bailout plans (shortcuts, reroutes, emergency contacts)
• Identify safe spot to leave your vehicle while riding
• Plan transportation to and from the ride
• Research expected weather

Bike and Gear

• Gather gear and review packing list
• Prepare and check bike (see next section)
• Test pack all gear on your bike
• Go for loaded ride (even a short day ride if nothing else) to confirm your setup works
• Pack your bike for transport, if needed

Last-Minute Prep

• Download offline maps and other essential info (try RideWithGPS or Gaia for navigation, and offline Google Maps for business locations and main roads)
• Charge electronics
• Update and configure satellite messenger (SPOT or Garmin) if bringing
• Pack food and fill water
• Check weather forecast
• Send someone a copy of your route, when you expect to be back, and what they should do if you’re not.

Bike Prep Checklist

No checklist for bikepacking would be complete without considering your bike itself. Our loyal steeds need care and feeding too!

The thoroughness of your pre-trip bike preparation might depend on a few factors: how remote your trip is, how confident you are with field repairs, whether you’re riding solo or with others, and how much you dislike changes in plans.

These checklists aren’t intended to cover every possible thing that could ever go wrong (consider yourself warned) but they’re a good place to start.

Bike Repair Skills

Before heading out on a short trip, make sure you can do these things at a bare minimum (or are riding with someone who is willing and able to do them for you):

• Clean and lube chain
• Air up tires
• Remove and reinstall both wheels
• Replace or patch a punctured tube, or repair a tubeless tire if applicable

For a longer and/or more remote trip, or ideally even for a short trip, add these skills to the list:

• Adjust and align brakes
• Replace or repair a damaged chain
• Adjust derailleurs for smooth shifting
• Replace brake pads
• Replace a broken shift or brake cable

Fair warning: this doesn’t cover everything. I’ve dealt with a mangled derailleur, broken chainring, and malfunctioning shifter while out on the road / trail, among other issues. Some things you can figure out as you go, but a good foundation helps a lot.

Pre-Trip Bike Inspection

As with repair skills, your checklist here will be shorter for a brief and not-too-remote trip. At a bare minimum, check the following before heading out:

• Pump up tires to correct pressure, and top up sealant if tubeless
• Chain: clean and lube
• Align brake pads and check for wear
• Align derailleurs for smooth shifting

For a longer trip or if your bike hasn’t been used much lately (or conversely has been used a LOT lately), visit a bike shop for a more thorough inspection and tune-up.