The Man, the Myth, the Dirtbagger. Heading on the Tour Divide route. Photo courtesy of Siren Cycles

1st up, shelter.
Hard to beat a blue tarp http://www.walmart.com/ip/SmartStraps-6-X-8-Standard-Poly-Tarp/14493316
A "B" rating but with a few other things like netting http://www.walmart.com/ip/Jumbo-Mosquito-Net-100-Polyester/14225010 and some gorilla tape, a pretty light and cheap shelter can be constructed.   Shower curtains are another fav of mine http://www.homedepot.com/Bath-Showers-Shower-Rods-Curtains-Parts...

For a DIY approach, here is a great design http://www.instructables.com/id/Make-Your-Own-Tarp-Tents/


Pads
i'm a fan of inflatables... I love my Big Agnes but $70+ is a lot... pool toys work quite well and this one has a built in pillow http://pooltoy.com/18pocllo.html "b" I contuine to experiment with this =)

Car window shades. You can also get it in bulk at hardware stores or homedepot An old standby for bikepackers and semi-throw-away and ok at keeping you warm, but hard to pack.   Rating "D"


Fleece is great for shirts and pants and even using the throw blankets for sleeping, depending on where and what temps your expecting, is great. http://www.walmart.com/ip/Dickies-Men-s-Thermal-Fleece-Zip-Hoodie/11078529 On the clothing, I can't tell much of a diff between the 'padagucchi' or the cheap stuff...vest, hoodie, even pants can be found cheap. The only downside...not super compact. I have even given some thought to a snuggie ...also cheap and very ez to sew. Rating "A"

Other handy dirtbag links:
http://zenstoves.net/Stoves.htm great alcohol stove info.  Alcohol and esbit stoves are light, cheap, and ez for boiling water.

http://www.ray-way.com/Quilt-Kit/index.htm some kits and good info for DIY quilt kits. I have used the quilt with great success, My mom sews quite well.... been meaning to play with cheap sleeping bags at Walmart and see if i could mod one into a fairly light and warm quilt.

AT thread but some good tips: http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?p=206678

A great bang for your buck bivy http://www.adventuremedicalkits.com/product.php?product=146


I guess the main point is to look in places you wouldn't expect to find camping gear.  Also, very few things in this article are over $20.  Sometimes it works just as well, sometimes better.... sometimes a dud.  As well, start thinking about what you already have kicking around your house, etc, and just get out there =)

'Fixie' Dave Nice, veteran Dirtbag Bikepacker.

As well, here is a link to Dave's blog where he discusses some more of his fav things for bikpacking, products that have been reliable and, more than likely, not too expensive.  The Editors.

Recently I was invited to join some fellow gravel road riding afficianados on a ride in the South-Central Minnesota hill country. This ride is in its 3rd year, and as the title suggests, it takes place in Fall, (October 3rd this year), is mostly ridden on gravel roads, and isn't a race, but a true "tour" of the landscape. Essentially it is a "no drop" group ride.  Definitely an adventure, since it doesn't have any support, besides a mid-ride lunch break, and definitely difficult in that the hills and road surface were challenging, but definitely within the realms of any serious cyclists.It is sponsored and put on by Rawland Cycles.

Approximately 60 cyclists took off shortly after 10am on a perfectly clear, brisk morning and after rolling some flattish gravel, headed into the hills. The group was rolling along at a fair pace- say about 15-18mph, but the ride leaders stopped to gather any slow-coaches on a regular basis to keep us in check.

This was all good and fine, barring any mechanicals, or other trouble. I fell victim to a flat tire about 10 miles in, but in a true show of what cycling fellowship can be, several riders stopped to chat and waited patiently for me to finish up my repair. That was very humbling, and far too kind. I did have a cue sheet, after all! But I certainly appreciated their company during and after my repair.

Fall colors in full force.Now one of the unique features of riding on crushed rock roads is that bicycle tires leave some pretty obvious tracks. If you were behind a group of bicyclists, it would be easy for most folks to follow their trail. You would think that at least one of the six of us trailing cyclists would have recognized that as we rolled away from my flat repair site.

Well, you would think so...

Actually, what happened was that someone had their head buried in the cue sheet, while the rest of us were merrily chatting, and no one caught on to the right hand turn the others made, and we went left by mistake. To the tune of three miles for the round trip! This mistake made us fall even further behind the main group to the point that time and other constraints became issues for some of our small group. Well, we made our own plans out on the road, and a modified loop was conjured up that still would include the all important lunch stop.

Gotta re-fuel!

However; before that we had a fair amount of riding to do. And why rush it? The day was warming up to a very comfortable 67 degrees, the skies remained blue bird clear, and the breezes were refreshing and light. I was enjoying the company as we rolled away the miles under our tires. Sure, it was an adventure, but one of the relaxing kind.

A cyclist ascends Shady Lane RoadStill, all wan't easy. There were some very challenging climbs that required much effort and the lower gears. There was beauty all around, vying for the attention of the rider when he should be looking at the task at hand.

Although it was a challenge, it was one of those rides you are so glad to have done. In the end, we made our lunch stop just in time, and we headed out on the last leg. The short cut took us over about seven miles of pavement with one climb of about a mile and a half or so that was pretty relentless. No quarter given, even on pavement it seems!

Some Tips On Gravel Road Riding:

A fine day to have ridden a bicycle and in a very fine area of the country. If you have never ridden un-paved back roads, I highly recommend the experience. A good, sturdy bicycle with excellent brakes, lower gears, (if it is hilly where you live or are riding), and the capability to run 30+ millimeter tires usually works best for this sort of ride. Bring a repair kit, a map, plenty of food and drink, and a sense of adventure.

Typically back roads are less trafficked by automobiles, but don't get lulled into thinking no one will be cresting the opposite side of that hill you are climbing! Stay to the right, and you'll be all right! Another thing about gravel roads and back roads is that they follow the contours of the land much more closely. So be prepared to go slowly up and quickly down, and be careful! Those surfaces can be sketchy, especially loose gravel. It's best to stay controlled until you get some experience.

Finally, share your experience. It isn't wise to ride alone unless you know the land quite well, and even then, it isn't the best option. Riding with friends also heightens the adventure aspect, since sharing experiences is always more fun than not. Plus, if you do flat, or worse, you've got a support system to help you out right at hand.

Gravel road and back road experiences are happening all over the country. Check out this site: Gravel Grinder News, for more on where you can find a ride near where you live.

Well, it was harder than I thought.  One thing that happened in the process was that I came to appreciate the work and design that went into the CDW seat bag I was using for inspiration.  All the different fabrics, gussets, rubber and velcro pieces...it all comes together to work very well and until I tried to obtain the same level of function in my own way, well, I just did not get it.  I do now.  Relevate and Carousel Design Works earn their wages.  In fact, they are underpaid.

So, back to the search for a basic bag to build from.  I chose a compression sack from Jandd products, since I will be looking at another piece of gear they make later on.  I chose a small sized one that was approximately the length and diameter of the seat bag I already had.  The compression straps, four of them, were already there, as well as a drawstring closure on the main sack, and a cap over that that catches the compression straps.

I knew I needed another strap across the saddle rails and one more to keep the back end pulled up.  As well, some kind of velcro section around the seatpost.  To see what I was dealing with, I stuffed it full of my tent and such and put it in place under the saddle.  I had paid a visit to the local camping store and bought three straps and fastex type buckles.  I mocked up the position of the bag with those straps and some clamps and went pedaling.

It immediately hit my legs.  The bag was too wide at the end and it hit me with each pedal stroke.  Looking at the CDW bag I could see how it tapered at the seatpost end.  That required I narrow the stuff sack.  I also found out that it needed structure to keep some shape to it.  Otherwise it would be a lumpy blob.  I had some plastic sheeting from work that was a nice blend of stiffness and flex.  I went through about 4 different versions before I came to the two shapes that I held together with double-sided tape.  It gave me the wedge shape I needed and the internal structure too.  It slid into the compression sack. The top, sides, and bottom all folded in to make a shaped 'box' of sorts, keeping the end of the bag taller than it was wide.

From there, I added a section of strap that had two buckles, one that fit over each saddle rail and sewn tight into the bag in the middle of the two buckles.  Another strap was sewn to the belly of the bag and had two more buckles that fit to the saddle rail strap ends.  I added a wider strap that was intended to catch the bag at the back end, just under the bottom edge, and lift it towards the saddle, wrapping around the seatpost in the process.  I also placed the bag so that the built-in compression straps were in a X shape, not a cross.  I thought that would give me a better 'four-corner' compression.  It also placed the Jandd logo right side up. In the pics, straps A are the OE compression straps (4).  Strap B is the one that wraps around the seapost and is sewn just under the rear of the 'butt' of the bag.  Strap C is one of the pair that wrap around the saddle rails and are sewn in pairs both on top of and below the bag.

The seatpost is a natural spot for velcro as an attachment method.  But the sewing machine was pretty lightweight and the seamstress (JeffJ's wife) was having issues dealing with the thickness of it all.  Plus, I was not all that happy with the overall stability of the bag.  It wiggled too much side to side.  I was having a lot of trouble getting the same amount of stablity that the CDW bag had.  His combo of inner stiffeners, rubber sections, and materials with more heft to them was a tough combo to match.  I was thinking about what I could use instead of velcro and I came up with a solution.

Mini rubber clamps.  They are heavy duty rubber, adjustable clamps that come in different sizes and will hold a heavy load.  I picked up a couple of small sized ones and, using the predrilled holes in the base of the clamps, bolted them through the bag and the inner plastic panels.  I used 8/32 screws and nylock nuts for fastness.

I fit it to the Lenz, stuffed it full of down vests, a camp pillow, and a windbreaker, and tightened it all down.  then I cut the strap ends to a decent length and took a good look.  The bag, held in place by the rubber clamps, seems pretty steady.  All that is left is to try it out on a trip and see if it works.  I figure that I have about $40.00 into the bag in materials.  Time?  Well, it took way longer than I thought. The structure part was the hardest and I am still only somewhat pleased with that.

There are some things I might do different next time.  I would consider a dry bag instead of a compression sack.  The material is tougher and some of them come in a rectangle shape so you run them on the long side against the seatpost.  This might keep it away from your legs right from the beginning.  They also have the roll top all in place. 

I do not expect the home made version to be a durable as the custom one.  I think it could be better, but I did achieve a pretty good version of my original vision.  Now whether or not my vision was a good one?  We shall see.  I hope this works after all the time spent.  It is to be used by friends that do not have a bag of their own.  I also hope that it inspires you readers to try one of your own and do it better, then share that with others.  If you can afford a custom set of bags, then by all means, do so.  They are killer.  But if you cannot, and dirtbagging is your only hope, give it a shot.