They say the best things in life are worth waiting for. That sentiment certainly rang true when I finally committed to buying my new bike. My journey to find the best bikepacking bike for my 5’2” frame started roughly 18 months prior – this was no spontaneous decision! After patiently waiting over a year for my frame size to become available in the UK, I was finally able to test ride the one that had truly captured my attention.
My Personal Bike Finding Journey
Let’s be upfront – diving deep into bike specifications isn’t exactly my cup of tea 🤫.
Over the years, I’ve genuinely tried to understand the technical details. However, it often feels like a foreign language to me. Ideally, I’d grasp it all, but honestly, it goes in one ear and out the other.
Thankfully, my husband enjoys that aspect, so he took charge of navigating manufacturer websites, scrutinizing specs, and confirming if specific bikes came in a small enough size.
My role in the search involved tapping into my network: asking friends about their bikes and checking if they were of similar height. I also explored online women’s bikepacking groups, seeking recommendations. I received some incredibly helpful responses from people genuinely wanting to assist (a huge thank you if you were one of them!).
If I’m honest, the options were limited.
I discovered that my height often fell outside the typical range for many appealing bikes. Bikes that did fit my height sometimes came with compromises, such as entry-level components or missing pannier rack mounts. Availability was another hurdle – shops rarely stocked bikes in my size for testing or even viewing before purchase.
I understand the reasons for this. The bike industry faces challenges, and stocking niche sizes can be financially risky. But how can I properly assess a bike’s suitability from a test ride on a larger size that doesn’t fit? And how can I gauge if a smaller size would be any better based on that experience?
In the past, like many on the fringes of the height spectrum (taller or shorter than average), I’ve made do. I’d find a bike that was ‘close enough’ and make adjustments to make it work. But this time, I wanted something different. I still had my mountain bike, so there was no urgency.
This purchase was about finally owning my dream bike, not settling for another compromise. I’ll reveal my final bike choice shortly, but first, I thought it would be beneficial to share key considerations if you’re also searching for the best bikepacking bike for your needs.
Key Considerations When Choosing Bikepacking Bikes
It’s important to start by saying that there isn’t one single “best bikepacking bike” that suits everyone.
The ideal bike for you will differ from what’s best for me. You’ll see bikepackers using a wide range of bikes, from full suspension mountain bikes to touring road bikes. Similarly, gear is carried in diverse setups, from minimalist seat packs to fully loaded front and rear pannier bags.
Despite my desire to avoid compromise with this purchase, my next point might seem contradictory. But bear with me, the context is different.
Finding the best bikepacking bike and setup involves balancing priorities and accepting certain trade-offs.
For instance, on our bikepacking trip to the Outer Hebrides, I used my hardtail mountain bike. A touring bike would have been more efficient, but switching to faster-rolling tires minimized drag. It was a compromise. It was the bike I owned, and using it allowed me to embark on the adventure.
To determine your priorities when buying a bikepacking bike – and identify your acceptable trade-offs – consider the following questions.
1. Terrain: What Kind of Riding Are You Planning?
While most bikes can handle paved roads, for optimal speed and pedaling efficiency on smoother surfaces, road, hybrid, or touring bikes with narrower tires are preferable.
For mixed terrain like gravel tracks with occasional rough sections, gravel bikes with wider, slightly treaded tires are a great option.
For challenging mountain trails, a mountain bike setup is the way to go. You’ll then have to decide between rigid forks, hardtail, or full-suspension depending on the technicality and comfort level you desire.
2. Load Capacity: How Much Gear Will You Carry?
For light, overnight trips, frame bags, saddlebags, and handlebar bags can be added to most bikes without needing specific rack mounts.
However, on smaller bikes, rear saddlebags might not work due to limited clearance between the saddle and rear tire. My solution on my mountain bike was to add a pannier rack, but this added bulk and weight – a trade-off.
If you plan to carry more gear for longer adventures, prioritize bikes with rack mounting points. These allow for pannier racks, bottle cages, and basket bags, increasing capacity but also adding weight and potentially reducing agility on technical terrain.
3. Gearing: How Do You Tackle Hills?
A fully loaded bikepacking bike is heavy, making extra gears valuable for climbing hills.
The ideal cassette and chainring size depends on your riding style. For example, my husband prefers to push a harder gear uphill, while I prefer spinning in an easier gear – requiring different setups for each of us.
After test riding my bike, I opted for more gears than the standard configuration. I also switched to shorter cranks. This reduces knee lift during pedaling (requiring less effort at the top of the rotation) and increases ground clearance at the bottom.
4. Riding Position: Do You Want Versatility?
Flat handlebars offer a consistent riding position, which can lead to fatigue and muscle soreness on long rides. Bar ends or a Jones bar can provide alternative hand positions.
Interestingly, some smaller women have found that a Jones bar can help make a larger bike feel more manageable.
Drop handlebars offer multiple hand positions, reducing hand and wrist fatigue on extended rides. They also allow for a more aerodynamic position, beneficial for long distances and higher speeds.
5. Tires: What Kind of Grip and Rolling Resistance Do You Need?
The terrain you’ll be riding dictates the appropriate tire size and tread. Consider weather and trail conditions – will you be riding on dry summer roads or wet, muddy trails?
Tire choice is also influenced by bike type. Road bikes, gravel bikes, and mountain bikes use different tire styles.
Having chosen a gravel bike with mountain bike DNA, rather than a road bike base, and anticipating UK winter conditions, I decided to start with wider, grippier tires. For spring, I’ll likely switch to narrower, faster-rolling tires.
Simply put, wider, knobby tires excel on rough and muddy terrain but create drag on paved surfaces, requiring more effort to pedal. Narrower, smoother tires roll faster on hard surfaces like tarmac but offer less grip in mud.
My Choice for the Best Bikepacking Bike
Coming from a mountain biking background, I wanted a gravel bike with off-road capabilities, rather than one primarily designed for roads.
Finding a frame size that fit was a major challenge – most manufacturer size charts started a couple of inches taller than my height.
I’m 5’2” (158cm) tall, and riders of similar height recommended these models:
- Salsa Fargo – XS size for riders 150cm – 160cm
- Bombtrack Beyond 1 – XS size for riders 150 – 161cm
- Surly Bridge Club – XS size for riders 152cm – 165cm
- Specialized Chisel – S size for riders 158 – 165cm
These are all worth exploring, but I faced issues with local availability and desired specifications. For instance, the Specialized Chisel lacked the rack mounts I needed.
The Cotic Cascade: The Best Bikepacking Bike for My Needs
The Cotic Cascade was the bike I consistently returned to.
Cotic describes the Cascade on their website as a “29er adventure bike”. It offered options for drop or flat bars, and rigid or 100mm suspension forks. Essentially, it could function as a hardtail mountain bike or be equipped for extended bikepacking trips.
I read and watched numerous Cascade reviews, consistently finding it praised for being both fun and stable on technical off-road terrain. I also spoke with Cascade owners, one of whom had even taken hers across Africa.
In short, it seemed like the perfect bike, especially since Cotic was introducing an XS size to the range, designed for riders 155cm – 166cm. Perfect for my height!
Excitement surged 🙌! When could I book a demo?
And that’s where patience came back into play.
Even though I discovered the Cascade a year prior, the XS frame was delayed in reaching the UK. I opted to wait for the XS frame rather than test riding the larger S frame and risking compromise. Once it arrived, I had a short wait until a weekend aligned with Cotic’s Super Saturday event.
Demo Day for the Cascade Arrived at Last
Expecting to prefer a Cascade with flat handlebars and front suspension, I was slightly disappointed that the demo bike had drop handlebars and rigid forks.
However, in retrospect, it was a fortunate circumstance!
I had never ridden with drop handlebars before, and my last experience with rigid forks was back in the 1990s, before suspension became standard on mountain bikes.
The Cascade rode smoothly on pavement, up a gravel track, across a field, and along more gravel. But its true brilliance emerged on the downhill technical singletrack, leaving me with a huge grin.
I fell in love with the Cascade – and that short singletrack section sealed the deal!
Back at Cotic HQ, we discussed a few adjustments to optimize it for me, and I placed my order. Next month, I’ll be joining the Cotic Owners Club, and I’m already dreaming of the adventures we’ll share.
