Does anyone take mountain bikes on overland trips?

[Jerome1500]

Threads and posts are better with pics…
KB voodoo crossbars compatible with the retrax cover
Rocky mounts for lock and KB voodoo’s rear tire tray. It’s a couple extra steps than a hitch/tray style but I like it up and out if the way. The fork lock grips the axle so it can’t be spun out and bike stolen. I know a motivated thief can work to get it but this will slow them down. I strap my gazelle tent between my and my wife’s bike.

Very similar to what I have. I will swap out out the bike carrier for the skis carrier in winter

I have two Yakima bike carriers that fit along with the storage basket. I still haven’t figured out the best configuration to give me better visibility, but it works.

 

[rsweet]

I take my KTM...nothing like a street legal dirt bike to run around on.

 

[GBGCR4x4]

I've done it twice. There was a trail close by on a camping site we went to. We used the bikes every morning. It was great. Second time we took them just to explore, didn't use them as much. I guess I'll do it again by doing some research on nearby trails. I also carry them with the thule hitch mount system, so it's not affecting the space inside my vehicle or up on the rack.

 

[jrlombard]

I've done it twice. There was a trail close by on a camping site we went to. We used the bikes every morning. It was great. Second time we took them just to explore, didn't use them as much. I guess I'll do it again by doing some research on nearby trails. I also carry them with the thule hitch mount system, so it's not affecting the space inside my vehicle or up on the rack.

I think that's the direction I'm headed. There's no more room inside the truck, so the bike is probably going to require an attachment. I just got the email notice about the REI member sale next week... :-)

 

[BlackDog1]

Very similar to what I have. I will swap out out the bike carrier for the skis carrier in winter

I have two Yakima bike carriers that fit along with the storage basket. I still haven’t figured out the best configuration to give me better visibility, but it works.

That is sweet/functional. I am planning on the same set up with the skinny warrior basket. the deep space box looks like it holds a ton Or I was also thinking of a long tool box for a bit more security. But I haven't done anything except the bike mounts. Good problem to have...

 

[Jerome1500]

Very similar to what I have. I will swap out out the bike carrier for the skis carrier in winter

I have two Yakima bike carriers that fit along with the storage basket. I still haven’t figured out the best configuration to give me better visibility, but it works.

That is sweet/functional. I am planning on the same set up with the skinny warrior basket. the deep space box looks like it holds a ton Or I was also thinking of a long tool box for a bit more security. But I haven't done anything except the bike mounts. Good problem to have...

I have seen a few configurations with the long Roam storage locker instead of the basket. May be something to consider but I think they are pretty expensive

 

[Advtres]

So got my rack for the Onyx e-bike and tested it out. Works awesome!!!! Also got one of those hitch stabilizers and I think that helped.
The hitch carrier is 36lbs (Black Diamond Aluminum)

 

[MidOH]

I take a whole motorcycle. Drz400s. Strapped upright by its triple clamp, in the bed of the truck. A hitch carrier wouldn't last a week where I go. My RV hitch has a few chunks missing.

Mountain bikes get loaded the same way.

Tailgate stays open since 6.5' bed. But my ramps and cooler are all strapped down neatly.

The best park in Ohio has more ATV trails than anywhere else I've been. A toy hauler may be in my future. For now, my camp gear is just a 35# backpack. No more. I haven't committed to the overlanding thing yet.

Considering upgrading to a Ktm Exc500 right now.

 

[JDGreens]

I have been wanting to take a mountain bike with me on trips that my wife doesn't go along and that there are no trails rated above 5 on a scale of 1-10 for a long time. I'm so concerned about theft that I have not done it yet. But there is a great area next to Beuna Vista that I'm planning on trying it out. I really would like to get back into mountain biking, I did it a lot when I was 35 years younger. I think it would be a great exercise to help keep me fit.

I have both bikes my old one from back then and a newer one. I think I'll try a mountain biking camping weekend down there to see the logistics of how it all packs together. And then take my old bike on a longer trip once to see if I would use it often enough to make it worth bringing a bike along.

I only ride my nicer bike if I'm riding technical trails anyway and I would not be leaving it unattended for long. On actual overlanding trips I really don't think someone would steal a 35 year old hard tail so I think it would be ok to leave it to go hiking, shopping or just about anything.

I'm really looking forward to giving it a try.

 

[tjZ06]

-TJ

 

[M Rose]

I have been wanting to take a mountain bike with me on trips that my wife doesn't go along and that there are no trails rated above 5 on a scale of 1-10 for a long time. I'm so concerned about theft that I have not done it yet. But there is a great area next to Beuna Vista that I'm planning on trying it out. I really would like to get back into mountain biking, I did it a lot when I was 35 years younger. I think it would be a great exercise to help keep me fit.

I have both bikes my old one from back then and a newer one. I think I'll try a mountain biking camping weekend down there to see the logistics of how it all packs together. And then take my old bike on a longer trip once to see if I would use it often enough to make it worth bringing a bike along.

I only ride my nicer bike if I'm riding technical trails anyway and I would not be leaving it unattended for long. On actual overlanding trips I really don't think someone would steal a 35 year old hard tail so I think it would be ok to leave it to go hiking, shopping or just about anything.

I'm really looking forward to giving it a try.

To bike thieves the age of the bike doesn’t matter. It’s how easy it is to access the bike… Older Hardtails are becoming popular for “cheap” gravel bike builds.

For secretary I use a Kryptonite New York U-Lock through frame and rear wheel with a Kryptonite cable lock going through the U-Lock and the front wheel. A second cable lock will go through the U-Lock and around a tree or the bike rack. … when Overlanding I find a place for camp way away from other people where I 1) won’t be bothered and 2) where I can hear people trying to come into camp from a long ways away.

Lastly Buena is a gravel rider’s paradise. I wish I would have been into bikes back when I lived in Colorado. Shoot you could barely get me to hike back then. I also know there are some killer single MTB tracks up there. Professional riders race several race throughout the season on some of the nargliest tracks in the western circuit there. To be honest I’m kind of jealous.

I think you are overthinking the whole bring a bike along Overlanding thing.

 

[JDGreens]

Well I'm sure I am overthinking things. But that's just the way it is. I think I'll take my camping gear and bike up there next week and spend a couple day tooling around.

 

[M Rose]

I don’t have a mountain bike anymore. I sold my last mountain bike about 25 years ago, and probably hand the ridden it in 10 years prior to that. I started riding last summer again on a hybrid bike and beating the FS roads with it, and decided I needed a better all around bike for my type of riding.
I have gotten into bike packing and technical gravel riding. I bought a 2022 Trek 520 Grando in April that I have been slowly building out to be a do everything bike. So far I have added a PNW Coastal Suspension Dropper Seat Post with a PNW gravel bike lever, added a couple of accessory bars (one for my electronics and one for my handlebar bag), water bottle cage, and upgraded the tires to tubeless.
On my short list of upgrades yet to complete are PNW The Coast Drop bars in 520mm, a PNW Coast 90mm Bar Stem, PNW Coast Bar Tape in Red, 5 Red colored Bontrager Elite Bottle cages, and convert from the stock MTB double Crank to a tripple crank going from a 42/28 sprocket to a 42/32/22 sprocket.


New Bike Day- the day I brought Grando home in its stock glory


All kitted out minus panniers.

PNW Coastal Suspension Dropper Seat post and Bontrager MIK rear rack


Cockpit view- double accessory bars, dropper lever, Headlight mount, Quadlock phone/Garmin mount

 

[JDGreens]

I don’t have a mountain bike anymore. I sold my last mountain bike about 25 years ago, and probably hand the ridden it in 10 years prior to that. I started riding last summer again on a hybrid bike and beating the FS roads with it, and decided I needed a better all around bike for my type of riding.
I have gotten into bike packing and technical gravel riding. I bought a 2022 Trek 520 Grando in April that I have been slowly building out to be a do everything bike. So far I have added a PNW Coastal Suspension Dropper Seat Post with a PNW gravel bike lever, added a couple of accessory bars (one for my electronics and one for my handlebar bag), water bottle cage, and upgraded the tires to tubeless.
On my short list of upgrades yet to complete are PNW The Coast Drop bars in 520mm, a PNW Coast 90mm Bar Stem, PNW Coast Bar Tape in Red, 5 Red colored Bontrager Elite Bottle cages, and convert from the stock MTB double Crank to a tripple crank going from a 42/28 sprocket to a 42/32/22 sprocket.

View attachment 234267
New Bike Day- the day I brought Grando home in its stock glory

View attachment 234268
All kitted out minus panniers.
View attachment 234269
PNW Coastal Suspension Dropper Seat post and Bontrager MIK rear rack

View attachment 234270
Cockpit view- double accessory bars, dropper lever, Headlight mount, Quadlock phone/Garmin mount

View attachment 234271

Nice! That's why I kept my rigid Specialized Rock Hopper Comp it's still a very nice bike and work great on dirt roads, my son bought a gravel bike which out preforms my bike though. Thankfully I'm in it for exsersize anyways. But my other bike is a little harder to replace, and is definitely a good bike to get wild on if I choose to.

One of my crazy bucket list goal is to some day pack out my rigid bike and from my house ride down through Chatfield reservoir up Waterton Canyon, onto the Colorado trail. Go as far as I can the first day, camp. I would return home the next day. Last year I took my bike and road till I got to where the Colorado trail started and turned around and road all the way home.(40 miles round trip) I felt that was a success. When your my age I see nothing wrong with setting bucket list goals, that you can look forward to.

Hike a 14-er. Check
Take my 16 year old dog camping. Check
Bike camping, maybe some day.
It keeps thing interesting.

 

[Crashing Rhino]

Just returned from a trip camping and riding Turquoise Lake in CO. It was a blast!

 

[M Rose]

Nice! That's why I kept my rigid Specialized Rock Hopper Comp it's still a very nice bike and work great on dirt roads, my son bought a gravel bike which out preforms my bike though. Thankfully I'm in it for exsersize anyways. But my other bike is a little harder to replace, and is definitely a good bike to get wild on if I choose to.

One of my crazy bucket list goal is to some day pack out my rigid bike and from my house ride down through Chatfield reservoir up Waterton Canyon, onto the Colorado trail. Go as far as I can the first day, camp. I would return home the next day. Last year I took my bike and road till I got to where the Colorado trail started and turned around and road all the way home.(40 miles round trip) I felt that was a success. When your my age I see nothing wrong with setting bucket list goals, that you can look forward to.

Hike a 14-er. Check
Take my 16 year old dog camping. Check
Bike camping, maybe some day.
It keeps thing interesting.

My longest single day ride was 90 miles… longest overnight was 120 miles round trip. I’m wanting to do a 7 day 300 mile trip through Hells Canyon by the end of the summer… if I get the gearing by then.