Were a fan of both brake types when applied to different scenarios. The dually may seem a surprise choice as a third rig option. Along the way youll also see evidence of settler history, in the form of old railway, logging, and mining infrastructure. Traversing 426km and climbing an overall 6100m, there are quite a few uphill stretches. 7. The BC Trail traverses eastward across British Columbias southern border. This ride takes in much of the area of the proposed Great Forest National Park. Each have some element of off-road, but aren't always exclusively off-road. If you only had a month to explore Victoria by bike, where would you go? More here. Its strongly recommended that you have your own personal accident and liability insurance whenever you hop on your bike. There are a number of brands that offer lightweight and compact inflatable mats, including Therm-a-Rest and Sea To Summit, that can weigh from 300g to 750g. Trying to squeeze, shove and cajole your gear into your bike bags is probably the most stressful part of what is a relaxing activity. After camping overnight, day 2 includes two solid climbs back up Mount Porepunkah (gravel) and then the Back of Stanley (sealed) before a very welcome descent from Stanley back into Beechworth. Day 1 90km | Day 2 90km | Total 3,060 vm | 70% gravel. Rideable over 3 days (if youre fit), this route absolutely nails the High Country bikepacking adventure experience. Thankfully, its not that painful; bike bags are, truly, a godsend for the two-wheeled off-road explorer, and heres why. Surface:about 50/50 sealed/unsealed. Information on closures can be found here, and an interactive map showing forest service road conditions can be found here. Prior to setting out check current local weather, conditions, and land/road closures. The right equipment can make a world of difference when youre on the road. We have over 300 original and curated bikepacking routes in our global network spanning nearly 50 countries. In spite of the fact that this route, associated GPS track (GPX and maps), and all route guidelines were prepared under diligent research by the specified contributor and/or contributors, the accuracy of such and judgement of the author is not guaranteed. Similar to the bike bags, going lightweight is not cheap but, again, the initial investment will see you reap the benefits for many years of bikepacking adventures. Justin Walker Photos Bob Barrett and Justin Walker, Riding toward the Glow Worm Tunnel, in the NSW Blue Mountains region, Australian Geographic Society Expeditions, Australian spiders: the 10 most dangerous, Lorikeets: Four things you didnt know about them, Entries are now closed for the Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year competition 2023. Generally well made surfaces, occasional steep/rough sections. A short bikepacking overnighter can be just as rewarding and restorative as a big trip. This ride takes you one some of Victoria's most scenic roads, including the Acheron Way and Mount Donna Buang Road. A massive thanks to Pepper for putting her faith in my route planning skills and blindly riding out into the wilderness on what is a very challenging part of Victoria for bikepacking. The tubeless tyre works with the use of a liquid sealant that you put inside your tyre. Dried fruit is a great snack option, as are your regulation muesli bars. There are more than 50 different First Nations on Vancouver Island, located in three distinct tribal regions: Coast Salish, Nuu chah nulth, and Kwakwaka'wakw. We inspire and inform through original bikepacking routes, stories, and coverage of the gear, news, and events that make our community thrive. For 2021 the Great Victorian Bike Ride is going through the Grampians in western Victoria. Run wot ya brung is the pared-down explanation as to which bike is best for bikepacking. The return to Beechworth on day 2 sees you riding the spectacular Rose River Road to Lake Buffalo before lunch in Myrtleford and the final push up Flagstaff Road back into Stanley and Beechworth. Its a truly inspiring High Country experience that youll have to ride to fully appreciate. You need to be logged in to use these features. We started the Route Scouts program back in 2017 to foster community involvement and harness on-the-ground and local expertise for route documentation and planning. As with the hardtail MTB, the gravel bike frame can be made from steel, aluminium, or carbon-fibre. For tyre widths, wed recommend between 2.25- and 2.6-inch. Where: Strathbogie RangesCentral Victoria, What: rolling pastures, pretty rural areas, local produce, quiet roads, small towns, a great gravel descent, the Great Victorian Rail Trail. Although each route is different, these are the general roles that may be expected of Route Stewards: BIKEPACKING.com is dedicated to exploration by bicycle. So youve sorted your bike its drivetrain, brakes and the wheel size. Enter the bike bag that, in its various designs, can attach to your bike via the main frame, handlebars, top tube and seat-post, plus there are smaller ones for the forks. What:attractive pastoral areas, fresh produce, wineries, Yarra River, tall mountain ash forest, rainforest, challenging climbs, fast descents, historical mining settlement, Victoria's tallest tree! The Local Overnighters Project is a unified effort to document and map one-night bikepacking routes all over the worldby locals, in their own backyards. Surface:single track, vehicle tracks, gravel road, some sealed road. With rolling hills, limestone cliffs, cascading waterfalls, amazing beaches, and endless bush, theres something for everyone. Recommended gravel/touring tyre 32mm or wider. In addition, were currently implementing a deeper Route Stewards program for several of our more significant routes. Make sure to set your shared image folder to public! The Bikepacking Journal is our biannual printed publication. Terrain:very hilly until the Warby Rail Trail. Its name changes along along the way, at different times being called Nolans Road, Tarcombe-Ruffy Road, Ponkeen Creek Road, and finally Hughes Creek Road. That said, there are some chunky sections and you might be more comfortable on a hardtail mtb or adventure bike with fatter tyres. The information found herein is simply a planning resource to be usedas a point of inspirationin conjunction with your own due-diligence. Over three foggy days and frigid nights, I experience the beauty of the Grampiansand ponder the direction of my life. Neither is better than the other, really. Unsealed surfaces are well made and can be ridden on a road bike. Click here to login, or start an account if youre not yet a member of the Bikepacking Collective. Vancouver Island, located off Canadas Pacific Coast, is a four-season playground for outdoor enthusiasts of all kinds. Weekend Routes (2-4) Week-long Routes (5-10) Odyssey Routes (11-30) "Freakouts" (31+) Local Overnighters. Length: 418 miles Climbing: 35,700ft Time to complete: 4+ nights Three words: Physical, stunning, accessible What bike: MTB Linking two of the High Countrys favourite towns, this route provides plenty of vertical gain over its journey through some epic mountain landscapes and challenging backroads. As public lands shrink, land rights change, and roads are paved, bikepacking routes must adapt and our community must be vigilant. These were very effective if touring on road, but as soon as you veered onto narrow bush tracks, the additional width created by the panniers meant you had to be very careful you didnt hook your bike (and yourself) on a surrounding tree or similar. It features 25% more pages with extra stories, bonus art and maps, and much more Issue 09 takes readers on trips through timeone to the early days of bicyclesand offers several reminders to be grateful for supportive friends and family, and strangers we meet along the way For Issue 08, we invited several contributors to return and pick up where earlier trips and ideas left off and also feature a handful of first-timers whose perspectives weve long been eager to share Cowichan Valley Trail Closures: There have been reports that sections along the Cowichan Valley Trail are closed due to washouts caused by heavy rainfall. The Cowichan Valley Trail, which is primarily a wide gravel path, passes on the west side of Shawnigan Lake, crossing several smaller bridges and the popular Kinsol Trestle along the way. But that doesnt mean you need to take the main road. Gravel-type bike recommended. With the complexity of an additional shock, plus the associated links and bushes and the fact that the rear shock robs the frame of bag-space, youd think itd be too much trouble. King Alfred's Way Its never a race when bikepacking, but reliable brakes are still a must. So, where has this new activity come from, and why has it got outdoor enthusiasts so excited? Rail trails, country backroads, MTB parks and alpine road ascents, they're all here! 4 days of relaxed bikepacking through central and northern Victoria Great pubs and extremely quiet roads Close proximity to Melbourne Accessible from suburban Melbourne Caravan parks or bush camps to stay at Beginning Our Bikepacking Adventure It's 6.10am on a chilly autumn morning in Melbourne. You'll receive an opt-in email before being added. What: picturesque rainforest, fun tracks and descents, cafes and eateries. The Arcteryx Konseal Short 11" is touted as the ultimate pair of outdoor shorts. Happily, that means that, even though there is some bikepacking-specific gear you will need, it is not as much as you think, thus keeping costs down. This offers quick access to Lochside Regional Trail, a well-trafficked multi-use trail that eventually leads right back to the Galloping Goose Trail and downtown Victoria. The story of a ride over the Victorian high country on back roads and trails, following ACVs Dargo High Plains route. Prior to setting out check current local weather, conditions, and land/road closures. Published in Renew Magazine. Aluminium is light, and it is cheap, but you will cop a jarring ride and it is not as easy to repair as steel. Victoria's train network is a great way to get around the state with your bike. For a lot of riders, the gravel bike is the ideal bikepacking rig; for most Aussie routes, you are riding on dirt roads and fire-trails in the main and these lightweight mile-munching machines, with their 700c wheels size ( you can use wider 650b hoops as well) are perfect for that. The information found herein is simply a planning resource to be usedas a point of inspirationin conjunction with your own due-diligence. If youve ticked off all our advice and tweaked or added to it with your own preferences the only thing you have to worry about is whether that last-day country pub you plan on being picked up from has a good counter lunch and cold beverages on tap to celebrate that first of no doubt many two-wheeled wilderness adventures. The Cowichan Valley 8 seeks to introduce these opportunities as a two- to three-day bikepacking route, sure to be appreciated by locals and visitors alike. The rides relatively short, but this overnighter is a ripper and we often ride it ourselves with our kids. More here. You need to be logged in to use these features. If you wish to view these as a list, you can sort by location or route length. Terrain: undulating, with one big descent and one big climb. If travelling from Melbourne, take the Beechworth/Bright Great Alpine Road exit on the Wangaratta bypass, and then turn left at Tarrawingee. Mechanical discs offer the appeal of simplicity. What:stunning temperate rainforest, good climbs, fun descents, beaches, waterfalls,food, wine, beer, cider, raspberries. Bikepacking takes you further, following fire-trails, stock routes or - even more fun - singletrack, through wild and remote parts of the world, camping along the way and covering more distance than you'd ever hope to if you were hiking. Day 1 90km | Day 2 85km | Day 3 120km | Total 5,200 vm | 70% gravel. Youll also find a few towns along the way offering up freshly brewed beer and hot chips to keep ya stoked! Yes, you will lose bike-bag space, but you still have the usual bag options, they will just have less volume, and there are also some nifty cargo-carrying options, such as Aeroes Spider Rear Rack, Handlebar Cradle and accessories (see our review of this set-up, here). The Cowichan Valley Trail turns back eastward, passing by Cowichan River Provincial Park and great camping opportunities at Stoltz Pool Campground, passing through the town of Duncan before joining the top loop of the routes figure-eight shape. A guide to the best bikepacking and bicycle-touring routes in Victoria. Starting in the locality of Ruffy, it rolls its way through high pastoral country . The Cateran Trail . What:temperate rainforest, eucalypt forests, rivers, good free camping, lots of climbing, a couple of breweries, rural areas, Lake Eildon. A mountain bike would be easier. Wide tyres will help. 1. And, you can definitely still rail singletrack on them yeah, its a hoot. There are so many gravel bikes available today that its easy to get overwhelmed. In fact, we reckon with honesty borne from our own (and others) experiences that its close to the most fun you can have on a bicycle or, indeed, in the outdoors, full-stop. Plus, you reduce the chance of a puncture considerably with no tube in your tyre. Rough and steep sections. What: rail trail, rugged remote gravel roads, wilderness, breweries. Find the best Bikepacking trails in Victoria (Australia). Its worth adding in a mid-layer (merino or synthetic) and wed always recommend packing a down jacket. Surface:95% sealed (though a bit choppy). Route Development: This route was created to capture the best parts of the Shipwreck Coast and Otway Region, an area of South West Victoria that attracts millions visitors a year. As long as your bike has been well serviced, theres no reason that a dual-suspension MTB of yours cant do double service Its all about compromise in bikepacking. ACV thanks its current patrons: Antonio Lima, Saul Culican, Adrian Muller, Tanya Bosch, Jeremy, Kim Delbridge, Phil Yardy, Leigh Esposito, Margery Smith, Stephanie Quinceton, Ivor Guest, Robert Potocnik and Liz Mitchell. He fell in love with bike travel while touring the United States in 2014 and it has been a huge part of his life ever since. I have a few too many in Victoria's high countrythe story of a mountain biking and brewery road trip. Flickr account of many huts (some not relevant) KHA huts. These vary in size according to the bike style they are designed for and can range from a half-frame volume of between 3L to 6L, through to a full-frame sizing of between 5L and 10L. Surface:everything from sealed road to rocky/muddy tracks. Luckily, most gravel bike manufacturers build their frames to also fit the smaller 27.5 size, thus opening up the choice of wider, high-volume tyres (over 40mm wide even up to 50mm), ideal for your gravel bike on a particularly rough route. Map 2. Regarding cookware, seek out lightweight titanium pots and pans if you can. And to get there by train allows you to relax and enjoy the simple pleasure of bike travel without the hassle of a car. There's more than 132,000 km of dirt roads and tracks in Victoria. Surface: sealed roads, gravel roads, rail trail. Well also be strengthening these routes through our forthcoming Route Stewards program. As such, our editorial team, route creators, and Route Stewards serve as mediators for route improvements and opportunities for connectivity, conservation, and community growth around these routes. . The Local Overnighters Project is a unified effort to document and map one-night bikepacking routes all over the worldby locals, in their own backyards. Sometimes it's just as nice to jump on a train and roll down to the beach for a swim. After passing by Bamberton Provincial Park, a potential camping spot along the route, the Mill Bay Ferry provides safe crossing to Brentwood Bay. 76 mi 9,081 ft Rough sections. Where:Bunyip State Park, Yarra Ranges, Yarra Valley. You'll even go past Victoria's tallest tree, at around 90 metres high.
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victorian bikepacking routes
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