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

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