December Bikepacking Bike Mock-up

I know it's early, but I have stated my bikepacking bike mock-up process on my 2013 Salsa Vaya in anticipation of our 2026 Tour and Micro-Tour Season.

The 2 main areas that I am going to address over the winter are gear/bag weight redistribution and a drivetrain/parts update.

On the gear/bag side, the big move is to lose some weight and volume and redistribute the weight of my packed gear from the back towards the front. My 2024/2025 setup was a rack and pannier system, with all of the weight basically in the back. This caused some stability and shimmying issues, as well as disproportional wear and tear on my rear tire and wheel.

2024/2025 Set-up:

• Arkel Dolphin Panniers (pair), 32L (use link for 10% off!)

• Tent on Rack, 8L

• Oveja Negra Frame Bag, 4L

• Arkel Handlebar Bag, 6L (use link for 10% off!)

• Total 50L

2026 Proposed Set-up:

• Arkel Rear Rollpacker Bag, 20L (use link for 10% off!)

• Oveja Negra Frame Bag, 4L

• Tent/Sleeping in Compression Bag on Handlebar, 8L

• Total 32L

I got things mocked up as a proof of concept, and went for a ride. The bike felt a lot more balanced, and much lighter (losing the pair of panniers and the rear rack was a big deal).

Getting my gear volume down from 50L to 32L is going to be a challenge in terms of my gear, but I have a great start in being able to get my tent and sleeping bag down to about 8L in a new compression bag. The rest is going to be an editing process over the winter. I've led a lot of trips, so I have a good handle on required gear.

Things that will most like change from this mock-up is the orientation of the rear bag. The Arkel Rollpacker can be hung from the rack in an inverted position, lowering the center of gravity. This position will be set when I get new 700c wheels on the bike (currently running with 650m).

2026 Mock-Up

On the mechanical side, the following items will be replaced:

• Wheels

• Shifters

• Cables

• Bar Tape

• Brake pads

• Cassette

• Chain

• Crank

• Bottom Bracket

Regarding the shifters, I found some Suntour Bar-End Shifters from the 80's on Ebay. I currently have Microshift Bar-End Shifters, but they now need to be replaced after about 9,000 miles over 2 years.

I am staying with my 3x10 Shimano Drivetrain, just replacing all of the parts. The only real upgrade here will be a new Chris King Bottom Bracket, and I have gone through a few Shimano Bottom Brackets over the last 2 years.

With the wheels, its time to get Honey Wheels to build me a new set, as I have cracks appearing in my rear wheel.