Getting sucked back in.......

I think you're already on point with the Ripley, that would be my first choice. Any of them would be good, just be aware Canyon has weird-ish sizing. Also keep in mind that very progressive geo with long reach and very steep STAs don't necessarily work all that well for bikepacking. Longer days in the saddle usually require more of a sweet-spot geo, a little shorter in reach, a little slacker in the STA, and a little steeper HT. This avoids having to ride in the attack position all the time. Maybe something like a Diamondback Release 29?

Ditch the limitations, go for an EverythingCountry bike instead! 😁

BansheeRune said:

Ditch the limitations, go for an EverythingCountry bike instead! 😁

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And I don't even like country music!

Thylacine said:

And I don't even like country music!

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Cannot blame ya!

Thylacine said:

And I don't even like country music!

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It depends on the country....

Thylacine said:

Wow, this place is still here. Cool. Cool.

Okay, so after a looooong break from the bike I'm thinking about getting into Bikepacking and want a 'Downcountry' bike (120mm ish) to do it on (as well as other things).

Bikes are crazy thin on the ground at the moment with YT here in Australia being the only thing regularly in stock. I can't even get a Canyon Lux Trail....or an Epic EVO....but that should change by March, so I'm told.

So my budget is AUD4000-4500 which transliterates to about bikes in the USD3000-3500 range.

Suggestions? (Bonus points for smaller manufacturers) View attachment 1963580 View attachment 1963579 View attachment 1963580 View attachment 1963581 View attachment 1963582 View attachment 1963583

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As much as I like this place, there are other sites and forums with more discussions and a whole lot of expertise on the subject.

Some riders I know have a lot of bike packing experience and they tend to not use suspension bikes for camping. Some major bike firm friends I know did a CO trail trip with their own suspension trail bikes and the repeat trip was done on their firm's rigid bike packing bike.

My almost always answer on what bike is delay gratification and try stuff. My own conclusion there is having a dual suspension trail bike and I picked up a used Fargo the whole family loves. Fargos and Kona Sutras are popular and there are more bikes in the category. They're super to own even if you are not bike packing. I love them for go anywhere rides that include single track.

In that price range I'd go alloy or steel hardtail with a decent 130mm fork (like a Pike) and fast rolling larger tires. XT drivetrain and wheels with really good hubs like DT350s. I did a 100-mile race (80% singletrack) on a Banshee Paradox last Summer and had no comfort issues with its progressive geometry. Having a slacker and longer bike with a decent dropper really helped me go fast and safe at the end of the race. I wouldn't necessarily pick the Paradox first for bike packing because it's not much for on-frame storage, but I do love the bike for long rides and downhill shredding on everything but chunky/janky gnar, where dual suspension rules the roost.

skunkybiker said:

In that price range I'd go alloy or steel hardtail with a decent 130mm fork (like a Pike) and fast rolling larger tires. XT drivetrain and wheels with really good hubs like DT350s. I did a 100-mile race (80% singletrack) on a Banshee Paradox last Summer and had no comfort issues with its progressive geometry. Having a slacker and longer bike with a decent dropper really helped me go fast and safe at the end of the race. I wouldn't necessarily pick the Paradox first for bike packing because it's not much for on-frame storage, but I do love the bike for long rides and downhill shredding on everything but chunky/janky gnar, where dual suspension rules the roost.

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No hardtails for me, sorry. I'll leave the spine punching up to the young guys.

Yeah I know, I always come and go but its amazing to see people still active on a daily basis, years later.
Reminds me a lot of Linus Tech Tips, one forum where I used a custom username and pw and forget it every single time because I lose the sheet I wrote it down on.
Do you want a pack float as well to carry bicycle down stream?
Whats the most you will do, gravel? or will you do more trails and ruts?
Full suspension or just a front fork?
Maybe long tail, like a cargo? That would depend on how far your average daily mileage is I guess.

Thylacine said:

Wow, this place is still here. Cool. Cool.

Okay, so after a looooong break from the bike I'm thinking about getting into Bikepacking and want a 'Downcountry' bike (120mm ish) to do it on (as well as other things).

Bikes are crazy thin on the ground at the moment with YT here in Australia being the only thing regularly in stock. I can't even get a Canyon Lux Trail....or an Epic EVO....but that should change by March, so I'm told.

So my budget is AUD4000-4500 which transliterates to about bikes in the USD3000-3500 range.

Suggestions? (Bonus points for smaller manufacturers)

Click to expand...

If bikepacking is the primary concern, the Ripley AF might not be the best option if you're wanting to store stuff on the frame. I have the Ripmo AF, and it's pretty tight around the bottle mount with the combo of the suspension and the cables. As an all-around bike though, it'd be a great choice.

Get a bike that's comfortable and fun to ride, if you really like riding bikes, you are not gonna let this thing sit and collect dust when you don't have time for a multi day trip.

Ripley is a great choice, anything in that group, aluminum and wide range single speed, parts is parts, you get more if you pay more.

Small companies = more $$, at your budget you're looking at mass produced bikes.

Trek, Specialized, etc....

I woudln't order a bike direct unless they're a international company and you can manage warranty issues.

If YT's are in stock and easy to get, get an Izzo. Everybody that I know that owns one absolutely loves it.

Not sure what they have in Australia that's equivalent, but I think the Trance 29 with the 115 Rear and 130 Front is pretty much the best deal out there.

Trance 29 3 (2021) | Trail bike | Giant Bicycles US (giant-bicycles.com)

s0ckeyeus said:

...the Ripley AF might not be the best option if you're wanting to store stuff on the frame.

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+1. A stock Revelate FS frame bag would work in all those bikes except the Ripley.

As a 60 year old former die hard hardtail lover who just got back into cycling I can't recommend the Ripley AF strongly enough. I started back into riding after about a 10 year hiatus on a Gravel bike. I then bought a hardtail was a bit too small for me. Ended up deciding to give a Ripley a try and haven't stopped riding that bike since I got it.
It's my go to for everything from commuting to twisty singletrack. The suspension is efficient with minimal drag or pogoing that I hated the last time I rode a dual squish.
I'm planning a bikepacking trip for my 61st birthday and will most likely take the Ripley instead of the gravel bike.

Potential Roadkill said:

As a 60 year old former die hard hardtail lover who just got back into cycling I can't recommend the Ripley AF strongly enough. I started back into riding after about a 10 year hiatus on a Gravel bike. I then bought a hardtail was a bit too small for me. Ended up deciding to give a Ripley a try and haven't stopped riding that bike since I got it.
It's my go to for everything from commuting to twisty singletrack. The suspension is efficient with minimal drag or pogoing that I hated the last time I rode a dual squish.
I'm planning a bikepacking trip for my 61st birthday and will most likely take the Ripley instead of the gravel bike.

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Simply put, you came to your senses... Good man!!