How much training do you actually need for bikepacking?

Here’s a question that comes up a lot, and one I’ve answered for myself many times over the years: Is it necessary to train – as in physically – for bikepacking? Or is it possible to do a trip, even a long one, “off the couch?” What’s this “get in shape on the road” thing people talk about?

As with most interesting things in life, the real answer is “it depends.” I’ve approached this many different ways over the past eight years and a wide range of trips, from leisurely road touring to rugged bikepack “racing”, and I’ve mostly been happy with the results.

Disclaimer: I’m not a coach or personal trainer. We all have different factors to consider when pushing the limits of our bodies outdoors. But I think my approach is pretty flexible and can work for a wide range of people. That said, your mileage may vary, quite literally!

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What I mean by training

Sometimes people hear “training for bikepacking” and picture a structured training plan revolving around long rides. This is indeed great training and may be important for specific goals like racing, but it’s far from the only approach.

I’m a generalist when it comes to adventuring. Bikes are my favorite, but I also enjoy hiking, running, skiing, occasional climbing, and even indoor workouts (lifting, yoga). My body is much happier – more balanced, less stiff, fewer nagging aches and pains – when I focus on a variety of movements.

Of course there are different aspects of training too. When we think “fitness” we’re usually thinking cardiovascular fitness, the ability to do a lot of work without getting out of breath. That’s definitely important for bikepacking, but there’s lots more to it: cardiovascular endurance, muscular strength and endurance, soft tissue resilience to overuse injuries (avoiding knee or Achilles pain), the ability to recover quickly after a hard day, and even mobility all come into play.

So when I talk about training I’m referring to any activity that helps with one or more of these factors. Here I list my favorites roughly in order, starting with those that have the biggest impact on bikepacking readiness in my opinion:

• Biking: day rides or overnights, on any of your bikes (if you ride different types like road and MTB), on a variety of terrain and elevation profiles
• Weight lifting or other resistance training: There are lots of ways to go about this – bodyweight, bands, dumbbells, barbells, etc – but I think a full-body focus is key. Core is just as important as legs, and upper body is not to be overlooked, especially for rugged bike routes.
• Hiking or walking: so helpful for keeping hip flexors loose and lateral hip stabilizers (glute medius) strong in ways biking can’t.
• Running: If you’re not already a runner, don’t start now haha. Running needs slow careful buildup to avoid overuse injuries. But if you already run, it offers the same benefits as hiking and is great for aerobic fitness that transfers well to the bike.
• Any other sport or activity that gets your heartrate up and/or builds strength.

One caveat to my pitch for variety: The more specific your goals, the more specific the training. So if you’re trying to podium at a bikepacking race (I know, not realistic for most of us, but hypothetically speaking) you will want to focus on riding, and LOTS of it. If you just want to have a good time on a leisurely trip, general “adventure fitness” and robustness is a fine goal.

Two things I consider MORE useful than training (don’t skip them!)

These two things are so essential that I don’t consider them “training” per se, though they are an added benefit of training via shorter bikepacking trips:

Shakedown rides: A shakedown ride is when you load your bike with your gear and go on a test trip. It could be a quick overnighter, or it could be longer if you’re prepping for a more involved trip. It’s how you work through some of the weird, inevitable little issues in advance: maybe your bag droops onto your tire, your knees hit your stem pouches, you don’t have a good place to pack your stove, or you’re not quite sure how to actually pitch your new tent…

Getting your butt used to your saddle: If you haven’t sat on a bike lately, the first few days of a bikepacking trip will be pretty uncomfy for most people. If you have the luxury of riding short miles while you work through it, that helps. But at the very least, some riding is necessary to know if your saddle even works for you. Because nothing, truly nothing, can suck the joy out of a bike trip like saddle issues.

So to be very clear, when I say below that you can skip the training in some cases, I’m not referring to either of those things. I don’t think anyone should ever skip them, though of course it’s been done (possibly even by Yours Truly in the past).

When you can (probably) get away with not training

Want to “just wing it”? Here are some cases where that can be reasonable. These are additive – the more of them that are true for you, the higher likelihood you’ll have a good time if you ride without dedicated training.

You have general fitness (especially robustness + endurance): If I had to sum up the physical attribute most needed for bikepacking, it would be robustness, with full-body endurance a close second. Those of us with very mediocre athleticism can still do well if our bodies are trained in a general way for strength (including injury-resistance) and all-day activity.

This carries over well from other sports or a general fitness routine, case in point: Before my very first tour (3 months in Southeast Asia) I had done very little riding! But I was a trail runner at the time, so I had a decent general fitness base. It also helped that I had a…

Flexible or conservative itinerary: Most issues that arise on a bikepacking trip can be solved with time. Bad weather? Wait it out. Mechanical you can’t fix? Hitch a ride to a bike shop and come back later. Really, really tired? Just stop for the day and take it easy tomorrow. If your trip is planned with a lot of buffer time (my Pace Calculator tool can help with this!) or your route can be shortened without much trouble, you can get away with a lot more.

Flat, smooth terrain: Some routes are just more forgiving than others. A largely flat ride comes down to saddle tolerance, and maybe upper body conditioning, more than strength or fitness. Of course there’s always the possibility for headwinds, and even “flat” routes often don’t feel flat in the moment.

Long trips: Paradoxically, the longer the trip, the less training you need before starting. This is the “get in shape on the road” plan. If you can afford to move slowly and take plenty of breaks for the first week or two, you’ll be in excellent riding shape before you know it. Long trips also tend to have flexible itineraries (one-way plane tickets and whatnot) which make this easier.

Youth: Since I’m officially in my forties now, I can say this. :) The average unfit 20-year-old can get away with more than the average unfit 50-year-old. This is not to downplay what can be accomplished by older bodies in any way! Cycling, and endurance sports in general, are full of kickass older adventurers. But it’s a factor to be considered.

When training is important

In these cases I think training of some kind – specific or otherwise – has more value and might even be essential for a safe trip. Are several of these true for you? Please train!

Short trip and/or constrained schedule: If you have a flight to catch, a place to be, or would otherwise be really bummed to change your itinerary, make sure you have the fitness to get it done (or plan conservatively).

Rugged routes with lots of climbing: A flat cruise may be doable “off the couch,” but on tough routes some strength and stamina are essential or your body may simply give out on you (cramps are a common way our bodies tell us “no more!” and they’re very hard to argue with). I personally feel this the most on gnarly hike-a-bikes, as in Tour de los Padres recently, or the infamous Djuku Pass in Kyrgyzstan a few years back. It’s a full-body strength workout hefting a loaded bike up steep rugged trails, and heavy weightlifting feels like the most transferrable training to me.

Remote routes with safety considerations: It’s one thing to hit the wall in a friendly place with access to services and bail-out points. It’s altogether another when you haven’t seen another human for days, there’s a nasty storm rolling in, or it’s 90+ degrees and your expected water source is dry. If you’re totally drained from the day’s miles, you won’t have much headroom to get yourself out of trouble if things go sideways.

Riding buddies in better shape: If riding with others, your planning discussion needs to consider each others’ fitness levels. It’s no fun for anyone, slower or faster, if paces are horribly mismatched. This alone can be motivation to train. I’m not saying it’s bad to bring up the rear – someone has to do it! But consider the size of the difference and be open about it in advance, especially on more rugged and remote routes where it adds risk for the whole group.

Racing and other ambitious itineraries: If you want to ride like an athlete, train like an athlete. I am FAR from being a performance-focused cyclist, but I have seen modest results from focusing more on strength and speed and less on just putting in long miles.

Whenever you want! Prep is often part of the fun. A bikepacking trip on the calendar can be an invitation to daydream, indulge in recreational planning, nerd out on gear possibilities, and TRAIN. It can be motivation to get into awesome shape, an excuse to spend time out on the bike, or a nudge out the door when it’s raining and we don’t really want to ride but know we’ll be glad we did.

To train or not train…

Summing this all up, I think the idea is to match your training – or lack thereof – to your route (flat or hilly, civilized or remote), itinerary (fast or slow, flexible or fixed), and desired vibes (epic challenge, relaxing getaway, somewhere in between).

Physical preparation for flat routes often comes down to comfort on the bike: saddle and upper body. Hilly routes need leg strength and endurance. Rugged off-road routes demand full-body strength, cardiovascular endurance, and overall robustness. Mental strength and a positive attitude go a long way too, though they have their limits.

If you’ve accidentally undertrained for an upcoming trip (life happens), don’t panic. A good bikepacking plan always includes contingency options. Mechanical issues, weather, and who-knows-what-else can slow even the fittest of riders. So consider your bail-out points, think through a slower plan B (or C or D) itinerary, and consider alternate food, water, and sleep plans if needed.

I also want to be clear that training doesn’t make bikepacking easy. I’m not sure I’ve ever found a bikepacking trip truly easy, nor would I want to. But training can lower the likelihood of pain and suffering, which leaves more room for fun, and that’s always a good thing.

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Or visit the bikepacking home page for lots more!