Colorado Trail 2026: Bag Attack

For this big 'ol ride I'm planning, I am having to take a different approach than my regular gravel bike, hotel stay, credit card driven adventure. This ride necessitates a camping setup, as well as a much more thoughtful weight consideration. 

I took the basic packing list I have and started editing it for a true bike packing trip. I broke things down by the bag they'd go in.

Dry Fit bags

My goal with this was to spread the load over the whole bike so it would still handle sort of ok, and try to keep it under 50 pounds. That would be a challenge for a few reasons:

• I'm starting with a heavy bike
• I won't want to buy a lot of really lightweight gear for one trip
• I want to bring some comforts that weigh a lot

Here is a breakdown of what will be in my bags and some notes:

Bar Bag - this is my trusty Revelate Egress. I built a new bar mount for it to accommodate the 35mm handlebars not the Transition and so far it's working out great. 

• Bivy Sack (small tent)
• Evening wear
• Quick access food

Front Top Tube Bag - this snack bag has been really useful for grabbing snacks on the bike. It has a magnetic closure so it's a big improvement over the old zipper one. 

• Bars and snacks!

Rear Top Tube Bag - this bag was in the way when I had it mounted on my gravel bike, but due to the different frame design, it works great on the Transition. 

• Tools, chain lube, tire levers

Frame Bag - this bag's fit was one of the main reasons I wanted to switch bikes. It fits much better in the Transition and allows for some storage behind it even. 

• Stove, Fuel, Pot
• Food

Under Frame Bag - this is a hard to reach bag, so it's just stiff I hope I don't need to get to often. It's a roll top bag so it will keep what is inside dry.

• Rain gear - Pants, hat, jacket, gloves
• Extra tube

Rear Rack Bag - sleep system! The rack for this went through some iterations to hold this bag best. This is a simple mount with two straps and a roll top to keep things dry. 

• Sleeping bag
• Sleeping pad
• Pillow

Other stuff not in a bike bag:

Backpack - this is new for me, as I usually ride with a minimal hip pack. I got this one and am hopeful it will meet my needs without being too uncomfortable

• Evening Items - toothbrush, charger, medicine
• Pump
• Down jacket
• First aid kit

On Bike - This stuff is just going to be strapped right to the bike!

• Water bottle
• Garmin
• Lights

And those are the bags!