Cycle packing or learning from other long distance cyclists..

[GirishH]

As you know, I’ve been bikepacking on and off for the past few years, so I’m always intrigued when I see fellow cyclists riding long distances on less-than-“optimal” bikes.
I’m currently in the Indian desert state of Rajasthan and recently struck up a conversation with a cyclist I met along the way. I’ve attached a few photos of him, his gear, and his setup.
   

By conventional standards, none of his equipment would be considered “optimal” or ideal for long-distance riding.
   

Yet cyclists like him—whom I’ve met repeatedly during my travels—always make me reflect on and rethink my own setup.

He also has a YouTube channel; if you’d like to follow or watch his journeys, please do.
   

[Flowrider]

That's incredible, crazy in fact. The balance must be pretty difficult to manage on some of the tracks you've mention Girish

[GirishH]

@Flowrider, I guess we learn with what we have?

I don’t know what kind of trails this kid in Rajasthan will be riding, but definitely some sand and probably plenty of unpaved roads.

   

He’s even carrying a full-size air pump. I use a small portable one I found for free on the streets of Boston..:-)


In comparison, look at this cyclist from Myanmar who crossed Thorong La (15,000+ feet) in the Himalayas with me.
   

He’s ridden far more kilometers across India and the Himalayas than I have. He had the skinniest tires and rim brakes that were completely worn out—he’d glued bits of rubber onto them for traction. Those pieces came off just when we needed them most. Still, he managed to descend safely, wearing shoes with no grip at all.


Meanwhile, I had disc brakes and trail running shoes—and was still dreading the steep descent.

Interestingly, the Myanmar cyclist’s setup looks a lot similar to the Rajasthan kid’s—except his tires were much, much skinnier. This probably is because they are going with the most affordable bicycles, gears and anything that's locally available here in India..

(02-11-2026, 12:39 AM)Flowrider Wrote:  That's incredible, crazy in fact. The balance must be pretty difficult to manage on some of the tracks you've mention Girish

[Flowrider]

That is mind-numbing! I am amazed.
Makes my long-distance travel gear luxury items!

Looks like another rider on the road behind him.

Have you ever seen any women taking on this challenge?

[GirishH]

@Flowrider, my own riding setup feels like pure luxury; I typically opt for stays in hotels and eat at restaurants. In contrast, KD—a rider from Myanmar—carried a stove to cook his own meals.

In the beginning, I used to carry a Jetboil too, but ditched it once I realized how affordable food is in India compared to Western standards..

Then there is your fellow Aussie, Emily. I met her in the Annapurna Circuit. She’s been cycling solo for years with a setup similar to KD’s, camping far more often than a "pampered luxury-glutton" like me. Despite the fact that I’m a man, brown-skinned, and speak the language, she has ventured much deeper into Nepal and China than I ever have.

Emily rides a bike that I believe was donated once a friend heard her mission. She travels to remote villages rarely seen by outsiders to distribute water filters and sports equipment.

When I met her in a small Nepalese village in Annapurna Circuit Area, she had been staying at a primary school for months—teaching English and football by day and sleeping in her tent inside a classroom by night.

In the evenings, she teaches English to Chinese and Vietnamese students to support her travels and mission.

Her gear is remarkably well-worn. When we met, her rear rack was snapped on one side and she’d lost several spokes crossing the Thorong La Pass. Yet, she was simply waiting to get back to a mechanic in China for a "spa treatment" for the bike.

And, she even rode through Bihar and Uttar Pradesh to get to Delhi from where she transited to China. As an Indian, I have avoided these regions of India. That's how much of a "chicken" I am.

If you ever get the chance, you should definitely meet her when she’s back in Australia.

(02-12-2026, 11:25 PM)Flowrider Wrote:  That is mind-numbing! I am amazed.
Makes my long-distance travel gear luxury items!

Looks like another rider on the road behind him.

Have you ever seen any women taking on this challenge?

[GirishH]

@Flowrider,

https://youtube.com/shorts/yDEE1AtEqoE?si=DETslxQT2dku11pj

In this video, KD talks about simple joys of riding and this is at about 15,000 feet. This was filmed the day after we both had to abandon our rigs on the trail; we’d been soaked to the bone and freezing, eventually hiking the final kilometer to the teahouses for warmth.

After drying out and retrieving our bikes, the next morning turned out beautiful. We pushed and rode toward Thorong La Pass under clear skies. You can see his setup and gear here—it’s definitely not "standard" long-distance kit. But honestly, KD has more Himalayan miles under his belt than I do..

(02-11-2026, 09:14 AM)GirishH Wrote:  @Flowrider, I guess we learn with what we have?

I don’t know what kind of trails this kid in Rajasthan will be riding, but definitely some sand and probably plenty of unpaved roads.



He’s even carrying a full-size air pump. I use a small portable one I found for free on the streets of Boston..:-)


In comparison, look at this cyclist from Myanmar who crossed Thorong La (15,000+ feet) in the Himalayas with me.


He’s ridden far more kilometers across India and the Himalayas than I have. He had the skinniest tires and rim brakes that were completely worn out—he’d glued bits of rubber onto them for traction. Those pieces came off just when we needed them most. Still, he managed to descend safely, wearing shoes with no grip at all.


Meanwhile, I had disc brakes and trail running shoes—and was still dreading the steep descent.

Interestingly, the Myanmar cyclist’s setup looks a lot similar to the Rajasthan kid’s—except his tires were much, much skinnier. This probably is because they are going with the most affordable bicycles, gears and anything that's locally available here in India..

(02-11-2026, 12:39 AM)Flowrider Wrote:  That's incredible, crazy in fact. The balance must be pretty difficult to manage on some of the tracks you've mention Girish

[GirishH]

@hyrpsen, exactly. I am really inspired by such riders who dodn't let anything stop them.

I have lost contact info and photo of another rider. He's riding a fixed gear, old school heavy steel bike up the Himalayas..

(02-16-2026, 09:41 AM)hyrpsen Wrote:  Wow, that’s inspiring! Seeing someone tackle long rides on a simple bike really shows dedication and grit.

[Flowrider]

@hyrpsen and @GirishH agree. Attitude is everything. Unfortunately, we don't get to hear about these amazing achievements. I've read a bit about David Goggins.
That's amazingly inspirational stuff, too!

[GirishH]

@Flowrider, here's some more inspiration..

Your fellow Aussie and my friend in Nepal, Emily, went back to Australia over the November-December holidays to work at a bar and save up some funds.

​Now she’s back on her bike, riding through China with plans to cross into Pakistan to visit the wells she helped fund. Eventually, she hopes to reach her grandmother in England.

​To me, that is truly something. As I’ve mentioned before, despite being a man and having the advantage of "blending in" or picking up languages easily, I’m still wary of certain parts of the world. I haven't camped nearly as much as she has, and I live a much more comfortable life thanks to my online work.

​Still, hats off to Emily, the Burmese rider, the Punjabi rider, and the many others I met in South America. They crossed continents some out of passion, and some because they had no other choice.

(02-24-2026, 06:46 PM)Flowrider Wrote:  @hyrpsen and @GirishH agree. Attitude is everything. Unfortunately, we don't get to hear about these amazing achievements. I've read a bit about David Goggins.
That's amazingly inspirational stuff, too!

[SPINMAN]

(02-14-2026, 04:25 AM)GirishH Wrote:  @Flowrider, my own riding setup feels like pure luxury; I typically opt for stays in hotels and eat at restaurants. In contrast, KD—a rider from Myanmar—carried a stove to cook his own meals.

In the beginning, I used to carry a Jetboil too, but ditched it once I realized how affordable food is in India compared to Western standards..

Then there is your fellow Aussie, Emily. I met her in the Annapurna Circuit. She’s been cycling solo for years with a setup similar to KD’s, camping far more often than a "pampered luxury-glutton" like me. Despite the fact that I’m a man, brown-skinned, and speak the language, she has ventured much deeper into Nepal and China than I ever have.

Emily rides a bike that I believe was donated once a friend heard her mission. She travels to remote villages rarely seen by outsiders to distribute water filters and sports equipment.

When I met her in a small Nepalese village in Annapurna Circuit Area, she had been staying at a primary school for months—teaching English and football by day and sleeping in her tent inside a classroom by night.

In the evenings, she teaches English to Chinese and Vietnamese students to support her travels and mission.

Her gear is remarkably well-worn. When we met, her rear rack was snapped on one side and she’d lost several spokes crossing the Thorong La Pass. Yet, she was simply waiting to get back to a mechanic in China for a "spa treatment" for the bike.

And, she even rode through Bihar and Uttar Pradesh to get to Delhi from where she transited to China. As an Indian, I have avoided these regions of India. That's how much of a "chicken" I am.

If you ever get the chance, you should definitely meet her when she’s back in Australia.

(02-12-2026, 11:25 PM)Flowrider Wrote:  That is mind-numbing! I am amazed.
Makes my long-distance travel gear luxury items!

Looks like another rider on the road behind him.

Have you ever seen any women taking on this challenge?

@GirishH
I wouldn't even know how to get started with gear and equipment or even destination. I guess I did always want to do a tour of italy. Need funding! $🇮🇹😁💵

[Flowrider]

I guess at the end of the day, we all have a purpose, obviously different, and what challenges drive those, Girish mentioned, are different to what drives us..

If Emily is doing this solo, she should feature in a documentary series! She should contact someone in TV land!

[meamoantonio]

Wow, reading these amazing stories made me appreciate what I have even more, a lot more people are doing more with "less" bike than I do, cycling isn't about acquiring and using the latest and greatest it really is about what adventure unfolds with each pedal stroke, thank you @GirishH for sharing these

[VinceCyclist]

Wow, that's incredible! I love how bikepacking can push you to ride on all kinds of terrain, no matter what bike you're on.

[GirishH]

@meamoantonio, I totally agree with you.

Seeing riders in South America using cat litter bins and oil cans as panniers, or cyclists in India and Nepal on basic bikes, made me feel like I was "cheating."

Then again, I am spoiled by gears and disc brakes. I also tend to stay in hotels rather than use the tent and sleeping bag I haul around so passionately. I can’t even ride without padded shorts—at least for the first few days.
To be fair, I have to remind myself that we all follow what suits us after learning a bit from here, there nd so many sources...

(03-24-2026, 10:43 AM)meamoantonio Wrote:  Wow, reading these amazing stories made me appreciate what I have even more, a lot more people are doing more with "less" bike than I do, cycling isn't about acquiring and using the latest and greatest it really is about what adventure unfolds with each pedal stroke, thank you @GirishH for sharing these

[Flowrider]

Hey @GirishH . Haven't heard from you in a while. All okay with you?

[GirishH]

@Flowrider, still on the right side of the earth... :-) Just been busy with some running and backpacking in the Himalayas.

I'll be reuniting with MisterGordo soon, though.

How are things there in Australia?

(04-09-2026, 08:49 PM)Flowrider Wrote:  Hey @GirishH . Haven't heard from you in a while. All okay with you?

[Flowrider]

Good, then you can ride with a smile on your face

Australia as a whole is struggling with the current fuel crisis, but fortunately, where I live on the Sunshine Coast, it's not too far to find and ride off-road single tracks.

Something we are grateful for

Where are you off to next?