Bikepacking for Beginners: Gear Checklist and Recommended Routes in Taiwan

What is Bikepacking?

Bikepacking is a travel style that combines cycling with ultralight camping. Unlike traditional bike touring, bikepacking emphasizes:

• Using frame bags instead of traditional panniers
• Ultralight gear
• The ability to handle off-road and gravel surfaces
• A closer connection to nature

Bikepacking vs. Traditional Bike Touring

Feature	Bikepacking	Traditional Bike Touring
Storage method	Frame bags, seat packs	Front and rear panniers
Gear weight	5-10 kg	15-25 kg
Suitable bikes	Gravel, mountain bikes	Touring bikes, road bikes
Terrain adaptability	Pavement + gravel + forest trails	Mostly pavement
Accommodation	Tent, hammock	Tent or hotels
Trip length	1-5 days (lightweight)	Long-term travel possible

Essential Gear Checklist

Storage Systems

Frame Bag:

• Mounted in the bike’s main triangle
• Holds heavier items (tools, food)
• Capacity: 3-8 liters

Seat Pack:

• Mounted behind the seatpost
• Holds lighter but bulky items like sleeping bags and clothing
• Capacity: 8-16 liters

Handlebar Bag:

• Mounted at the front of the handlebars
• Holds tent, waterproof clothing
• Capacity: 8-15 liters

Top Tube Bag:

• Small storage for phone, snacks, power bank
• Capacity: 0.5-1.5 liters

Camping Gear

Gear	Weight Target	Recommendation
Tent	< 1.5 kg	Single-person ultralight tent
Sleeping bag	< 800g	Comfort rating 10-15°C
Sleeping pad	< 500g	Inflatable, R-value > 2
Pillow	< 100g	Inflatable pillow or use clothing instead

Cooking Gear

• Ultralight stove (under 100g)
• Titanium or aluminum cup (300ml)
• Small fuel canister
• Foldable utensils
• Windshield

Clothing

Principle: one set for riding, one for camp, one for emergencies

• One set of riding clothes
• Lightweight long pants and a warm top for camp
• Lightweight down jacket (insulation layer)
• Waterproof windbreaker
• Spare underwear and socks

Tools & Safety

• Multi-tool
• Spare inner tube or tubeless repair kit
• Portable pump
• Front and rear lights
• First aid kit
• Phone + power bank

Weight Management

The key to bikepacking is controlling total weight. Here are weight distribution recommendations:

Category	Target Weight
Camping gear	2.0-2.5 kg
Clothing	1.0-1.5 kg
Cooking gear	0.5-0.8 kg
Food + water	2.0-3.0 kg
Tools + safety	1.0-1.5 kg
Storage systems	1.0-1.5 kg
Total	7.5-10.8 kg

Recommended Bikepacking Routes in Taiwan

Beginner

Yilan Dongshan River to Nanfang’ao (2 days, 1 night):

• Day 1: Dongshan River Bike Path → Su’ao (40km)
• Accommodation: Campsite near Su’ao
• Day 2: Su’ao → Nanfang’ao Fishing Harbor → Return
• Terrain: 90% pavement, 10% gravel
• Difficulty: ★★

Intermediate

North Coast Bikepacking (2 days, 1 night):

• Day 1: Tamsui → Shimen → Jinshan (50km)
• Accommodation: Campsite near Jinshan
• Day 2: Jinshan → Wanli → Keelung → Return
• Terrain: Mostly pavement, some coastal gravel roads
• Difficulty: ★★★

Huatung Valley (3 days, 2 nights):

• Day 1: Hualien → Fenglin (60km)
• Day 2: Fenglin → Chishang (65km)
• Day 3: Chishang → Taitung (55km)
• Accommodation: Campsites or simple camping areas along the way
• Terrain: Pavement + some farm roads
• Difficulty: ★★★

Advanced

Southern Cross-Island Highway Bikepacking (3 days, 2 nights):

• Challenge the high mountain sections of the Southern Cross-Island Highway
• Requires sufficient climbing ability and high-altitude camping experience
• Terrain: Pavement + some construction sections
• Difficulty: ★★★★★

Pre-Trip Preparation

Route Planning

1. Use Google Maps or Komoot to plan your route
2. Confirm water sources and resupply points along the way
3. Check campsites or legal camping spots in advance
4. Download offline maps (mountain areas may have no signal)
5. Prepare a backup route

Weather Check

• Start checking the weather forecast three days before departure
• Taiwan’s mountain weather is changeable; be sure to bring rain gear
• Pay attention to low temperatures on high mountain routes in winter

Leave No Trace Principles

One of the core spirits of bikepacking is leaving no trace:

• Pack out all trash
• Do not damage vegetation
• Build campfires only in designated areas (or skip campfires altogether)
• Dispose of human waste properly
• Respect wildlife

Conclusion

Bikepacking is an excellent way to explore Taiwan. It combines the freedom of cycling with the closeness to nature of camping, allowing you to get to know this island in the slowest yet most profound way. Start with a simple two-day, one-night trip, and you’ll discover: pack your bags, mount your bike, and head down an unknown road—this is the taste of freedom.

Related Reading

• Bikepacking for Beginners: Ultralight Gear and Taiwan Route Recommendations
• Bike Touring Gear Checklist: The Packing Philosophy for a Week of Bikepacking Luggage
• Minimalism in Bike Travel: The Lightweight Travel Philosophy of Just One Bike and One Bag
• Bikepacking Route Planning: How to Calculate Gear Weight and Trip Duration