Bargain Bin Bikepacking

FIVE DAYS. ZERO GLAMOUR. MAY THE CHEAPEST SETUP WIN.

FORGET THE CARBON FIBRE. WE’RE RIDING BARGAIN BIN GLORY.

Tired of seeing bikepacking blogs that look like gear catalogues? Skinny, lycra clad models dripping in thousands of pounds worth of kit.

We are too. We want to bring bikepacking to the masses. Showing the world that you don't need fancy kit, carbon bikes, ultra-light gear and a bank account to rival an Oligarch. All the matters are you, your legs, a bicycle and good old fashioned stupidity.

The challenge is simple. On your own or with mates, have 5 days to ride from the bottom to the top of Wales. Starting in Cardiff and ending in Bangor. The route, we'll give you one but whether you follow it is up to you.

GET THRIFTY BABY!

To prove that bikepacking is the sport of the people, we want you to keep it as cheap as possible. Beg, borrow, recycle, scavenge, anything that it takes to keep your costs down. If you already have a bike fantastic! But if not, we're challenging you to scour eBay, gumtree, marketplace, find that unloved clunker, add a few drips of oil and some prayers and give it the sending off it deserves, one final voyage across some of the tastiest backroads and trails that Wales has to offer.

DATES: 1 - 6 JULY 2026

ENTRY FEE: £40

Have you even seen pictures of crusty old men back in the day riding even crustier old bikes in places they really shouldn't? Have we gone soft? Do we really need all theese bells and whistles, the fancy titanium spork nonsense?

HELLS TO THE NO!

And that's the ethos of Bargain Bin Bikepacking, all the fun at a fraction of the price. Bringing Bikepacking back to the people.

BRITISH LO-FI ADVENTURING AT ITS BEST

The kit you need

We're not talking fancy pants cooking stoves or espresso makers. This is barebones, basic bitch bikepacking essentials.

Bike

Use yours or grab yourself a bargain, if it goes, stops and has round wheel you're good.

Front and Rear lights

Useful if you want to ride at night

Tent

Tent, hammock, tarp, bivvy bag, just something to sleep in and keep the rain and sheep out.

Repair kit

Flat tyres = sad times

Sleepingbag

Even this is a bit optional, but who doesn't like waking up all toasty and warm after a night under the stars

First aid kit

Just in case you get any boo-boos on the way

All your gear for less than £120, now that is a challenge

What you get when you sign up

Don’t worry, we're not sending you into the wild completely on your lonesome. While you bring the grit, we handle the essentials and the celebration:

Safety, Sorted: You won't be lugging a dedicated tracker. Instead, we use mandatory phone tracking via a simple app so we know you haven't been eaten by a sheep. Bring a power bank, yeah?
Route & Rules: The official GPX file for The Bargain Bin Bikepacking—so you know roughly which direction you should be riding
The Goodies (Swag): Every participant gets a welcome pack of Nerpa Swag. Think less fancy t-shirt, more the kit you'll actually use to fix your bike—like a roll of branded gaffer tape and a patch for your dodgy jacket.
The Send-Off & The Send-It Party: We kick off with a proper Start Line Bash and finish the five days of dirt and suffering with a massive finish line party. Beers, bragging rights, and bad decisions are included in your entry.

This is your initiation into the Scrappy Adventurer's Club. We handle the route and the finish line knees-up. Your only job is to get to the end, and the collective is here to help you get there.