How I Packed a Full-Suspension Bike for the Colorado Trail

I’ve often said that for big bikepacking trips on singletrack, a full-suspension bike is the way to go. The problem is, they’re simply not as easy to pack. I’ve done plenty of bikepacking on trail, which, to me, is the purest form of bikepacking. Sharing miles with backpackers on remote, rugged trails is about as close as it gets to what bikepacking feels like at its core: avoiding roads, chasing trails, and linking together big vistas. It’s a thing of beauty, and it’s my favorite form of cycling.

Because of the nature of this type of riding, everything on the bike needs to be a bit tighter, lighter, and more dialed. While the Colorado Trail itself hasn’t changed much, the way I pack a bike for adventures like this has. Not only am I carrying more gear these days, but the bike itself is larger, longer, and heavier. Here, I’m going to share what I packed, how I packed it, and some of my favorite pieces of gear from a recent six-day ride on the Colorado Trail. Check out my full setup in the video below, followed by a written version with photos.

Continue reading to learn more about bikepacking, written by Neil Beltchenko.