Bikepacking Iceland’s “Western Divide” – The technical details
Hiking Iceland from north to south was in my bucket list for ages but when I discovered bikepacking.com, it finally became a cycling adventure. My initial itinerary along route F26 was fueled by the story posted by Montanus. It can be read here: https://bikepacking.com/routes/iceland-divide/ . Thanks for the inspiration, guys!
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The website and community are an invaluable resource for anything bike-travel into-the-wild.
By bikepacking we understand: cycling alternative routes, as far from tarmac as possible, mainly gravel roads and some singletracks, on a bike that can handle a decent amount of climb-up and of shake on the way down. Some basic technical riding knowledge can be required at times. Click on their logo to the right to read the manifesto. |
logo courtesy of bikepacking.com |
Bikepacking focusses on minimalist overnight gear and a compact packing method to make the journey as light as possible for the rig, the rider and his mind.
“Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add,
but when there is nothing left to take away.”
Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
My set-up was a bit on the heavy-side, although sturdy, halfway between mountain-biking and cycle-touring. It just made it through the wilderness but it did take a bit of a blow. Future trips will need some improvements on the packing as well as ditch the rear-suspension and dropper-post.
Roadbook
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Day A1: Start@noon [39km/511m D+/412m D-] Stop@6pm Day A2: Start@11am [32km/800m D+/810m D-] Stop@6pm Day A3: Start@noon [35km/511m D+/412m D-] Stop@6pm Download the GPX files
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Day B1: [email protected] [65km/780m D+/300m D-] Stop@10pm
Day B2: [email protected] [20km/267m D+/180m D-] [email protected] Day B3: [email protected] [77km/640m D+/790m D-] [email protected] Day B4: Start@noon [46km/630m D+/555m D-] [email protected] Day B5: Start@11am [48km/517m D+/941m D-] Stop@8pm Day B6: [email protected] [37km/420m D+/500m D-] [email protected] Download the GPX files
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Packing Lists
Clothes
End of June, I experienced day temperatures ranging from 9 to 16° C and 9 to 10° C at night
NEXT TIME: Crocs or sandals for river crossings
Food:
NEXT TIME: freeze-dried vegetables, vitamin tabs, crackers
Utilitues & Leisure
NEXT TIME: Rash cream (not that I needed it) & Chap stick (highly regretted it!), Dish rag
Bike-Tech
End of June, I experienced day temperatures ranging from 9 to 16° C and 9 to 10° C at night
- Soft-shell jacket + light rain-jacket + Light thin warm jacket (Patagonia R1 Hoody)
- Cycling underwear with chamois and lightweight pants
- 3x pair of merino socks (including one for evening tent-time)
- Merino sleeveless t-shirt worn every day with a lightweight long sleeve Capilene t-shirt
- Merino long sleeve t-shirt for tent-time
- Synthetic down-vest
NEXT TIME: Crocs or sandals for river crossings
Food:
- 10x freeze-dried breakfast
- 10x freeze-dried dinner (REAL TURMAT brand highly recommended)
- 8x fish can (tuna, sardines, crab…)
- Beef and Fish jerky
- Trail mix + dried dates
- Individual honey energy sticks
- Iso-tonic drink tablets
- Herbal infusions (Turmeric and Rooibos)
- Coffee + Green and Black tea
- Dark chocolate
NEXT TIME: freeze-dried vegetables, vitamin tabs, crackers
Utilitues & Leisure
- 10000mAh USB power-bank (max; power you can take on a plane) and appropriate cables + compact charger
- E-reader + 2 books
- Notebook & pen
- Headphones
- Nikon Z5 with 14-30mm lens + Gorilla Pod
- Ziploc’s and Dry sacks for food and clothes organization
- Rubbish bags in Dry sack
- Toilet paper + standard toiletries
- Clothes line
- Paper maps and route atlas
- First-aid kit
NEXT TIME: Rash cream (not that I needed it) & Chap stick (highly regretted it!), Dish rag
Bike-Tech
- 2x spare inner tube
- 3x spare spoke
- Grease and chain lube
- Electrician’s tape, automotive tape and gaffer tape
- Tie straps
- Quick chain-links
- Spare chain
- Presta/Shraeder adaptor + Nite-Ize carabineers
- Derailleur hanger
- Spare strap and elastics
- Multi-tool+ pump
- Tube puncture mending kit and tire repair plugs and plier + empty soft aluminum drink-pack (Capri-Sone type) for tire tears.
- Piece of old tube and piece of old tire
Additional Travel Information
Airways:
Most airlines take bikes-in-a-box for an average €60 from a European airport to Iceland. The concern is more regarding the overall weight than the size. My box was 170 cm long, 120 cm tall and 30 cm wide.
There is a bike mounting station at Keflavik if you intend to cycle directly from the airport. A route exists but I haven’t tried it. Several sigh-seeing bus companies offer shuttles to downtown-Reykjavik. The luggage hold will easily accommodate the box I mentioned above.
Domestic flights are quick and easy option to reach the North.
Public land transport:
Not a single pair of rails are laid down in Iceland, nor long distance, nor freight, nor even tram/streetcar. Icelanders swear by the personal car. Losers take public transport, in their opinion… And a bunch of tourists, I guess. Reykjavik has a basic urban public bus service and long distance is provided by Straeto (www.strateo.is). They will take bikes, if not on a rack, directly in the luggage hold.
Cycling the main Iceland Number-One single carriage ring-road is not recommended, traffic can be dense and not always regarding towards cyclists. Also, some tunnels are forbidden to bikes and the pass or fjord routes will be the option.
Outside of Reykjavik, where a decent cycling network exists, Icelanders don’t cycle. The way to go is the “F” gravel-roads, hence having a bike that can handle a bit of wilderness. Even there, some main gravel roads linking small towns can have dense traffic and the side-safety distance with cyclists not always optimal.
Most airlines take bikes-in-a-box for an average €60 from a European airport to Iceland. The concern is more regarding the overall weight than the size. My box was 170 cm long, 120 cm tall and 30 cm wide.
There is a bike mounting station at Keflavik if you intend to cycle directly from the airport. A route exists but I haven’t tried it. Several sigh-seeing bus companies offer shuttles to downtown-Reykjavik. The luggage hold will easily accommodate the box I mentioned above.
Domestic flights are quick and easy option to reach the North.
Public land transport:
Not a single pair of rails are laid down in Iceland, nor long distance, nor freight, nor even tram/streetcar. Icelanders swear by the personal car. Losers take public transport, in their opinion… And a bunch of tourists, I guess. Reykjavik has a basic urban public bus service and long distance is provided by Straeto (www.strateo.is). They will take bikes, if not on a rack, directly in the luggage hold.
Cycling the main Iceland Number-One single carriage ring-road is not recommended, traffic can be dense and not always regarding towards cyclists. Also, some tunnels are forbidden to bikes and the pass or fjord routes will be the option.
Outside of Reykjavik, where a decent cycling network exists, Icelanders don’t cycle. The way to go is the “F” gravel-roads, hence having a bike that can handle a bit of wilderness. Even there, some main gravel roads linking small towns can have dense traffic and the side-safety distance with cyclists not always optimal.
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