Road Bikes

For me, the process behind the Build-Off was equally as rewarding. It was a means of forcing myself to consider the bikepacking puzzle from a different perspective in order to see what’s possible, be creative, and negotiate budgetary obstacles. Believe me when I tell you that it’s very hard to stay under the $500 allowance and still create something that’s trustworthy, beautiful, and interesting. Aside from the pad, sleeping bag, and a reclaimed piece of Tyvek I used as a groundsheet, the only other component of the sleep system I carried was a borrowed DIY tarp. I’ll talk more about that in the Further Budget section below, but since the tarp didn’t come with stakes, I decided to make some using leftover flat aluminum bar that Virginia had purchased to make her rack strut.

The wedge won out, and I was able to make it using repurposed Cordura perimeter fabric, straps, and a zipper from my old Kona Sutra frame bag I burned with an iron several years ago. Obviously, not everyone is going to have that as an option, but using an old backpack could provide the same base materials. I used the blue jeans—complete with the pocket being a non-driveside knife sheath—and some leftover X-Pac I had on hand for the side panels.

However, that’s exactly the direction I wanted to push this project. In fact, I originally proposed the series concept to the team with name Concours de Rummage, taking inspiration from the sophisticated builders challenge called Concours de Machines. However, I realized that’s just my style and approach, and there are infinite interpretations to a capable low-cost touring kit. In the end, we all found different ways and motivations to tackle this challenge, and that made it even more interesting.

This turned into a fun little side project, and I ended up with four sturdy, lightweight stakes. I cut them with a hacksaw, then clamped each one in a schwinn mountain bike bench vise and hammered out a contour to prevent bending when pounded into the ground. To keep them organized, I used a rubber band made from a piece of discarded inner tube. It worked perfectly, squishing the sleeping bag down to a manageable size that fit neatly in my basket bag. The poly material seems durable enough for now, though I imagine it might start to show some wear and tear after a month or so of use. The week leading up to the disaster, I spotted a 22” 1988 Schwinn High Sierra on Marketplace, messaged the seller immediately and arranged to meet them that Thursday in Tennessee, just over the North Carolina border.

Customers have different views on the value for money of the stationary bicycle. Some find it well-built and worth the price, while others feel it’s disappointing for the price, with poor displays and crank threading issues. They say the directions are clear, and the bike is ready to use. The Local Overnighters schwinn mountain bike Project is a unified effort to document and map one-night bikepacking routes all over the world—by locals, in their own backyards.