# Advice for bikepacking bike



## bandit1 (Jun 27, 2011)

I am taking into consideration the idea that I would like to get into bikepacking/ expedition biking with my next bike purchase. The bike I have currently is no where near the level needed to do this with. Simply put it is a department store bike purchased off craigslist. It has done well for me so far but is also on the small side size wise and would not be a comfortable fit for long distance.

of the bikes i have listed below, I am leaning towards the Surly Ogre. I understand they have the Troll, but I like the Ogre for personal reasons over the Troll.

I also have a thread going in the beginers section looking for some advice on makes and models to look at for bikepacking. I came to this section for more specific advice as to what everyone here runs. here is the link to the thread: http://forums.mtbr.com/beginners-corner/what-bike-should-i-get-queston-million-1st-time-800536.html

In no particular order:


Ogre | Bikes | Surly Bikes
KHS Bicycles :: Alite 2000
Trek Bicycle
Trek Bicycle

Both trek bikes are almost identical. The only major difference I can see is the front fork. My first choice of the 2 Treks would be the Police model if I can get it. If not as per Treks recommendations under the Q&A tab on the Police bike, the 4500 is comparable to the Police and uses the same geometry.

What is your advice of the 4 bikes listed? I am leaning towards the Surly Ogre but like the front suspension of the others. For an expedition type bike, is a front suspension fork really needed? Or would I be fine with out it?


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## eredinger (Apr 16, 2009)

So looking at the four bikes I can help you rule out the KHS due to the fact it has no rack mount on the frame.I'm assuming you'll be using oen of those. The police bike is a bit higher end components than the other trek bike, which is par for the course right? The "Sell the government more than they need cuz we can"" philosophy. This bike may be a bit overkill for what for what you need. In my opinion I'd go with the Ogre. It's very versatile , has rack mounts, 5 bottle mounts, disk or v-break options and much more...

Just my 2 cents....

Oh....and I just got my new Ogre frame in this week


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## big_papa_nuts (Mar 29, 2010)

Out of those the Ogre would be my first choice. Steel, 29er, rigid, BB7s. But to be honest I just think that bike is overpriced. I mean barring braze-ons and the dropout action you can get way more bike for the money. Check out the Novara Intrepid. Better steel frame and better components. And if you want you could swap for a Fargo fork, some BB7s, and a triple crank and shifter and still pay less then the Ogre.

But really any rigid or HT and be put into action without much fuss.


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## bandit1 (Jun 27, 2011)

Thanks for the advice so far folks, I would not mind the Trek Police bike, however I know there may be some technicalities that may keep me out of it. The Ogre would be choice 1, the police bike #2, the 4500 #3 and the KHS #4.

Big papa, I will check out that Novara you suggested to see if I like it.


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## Harryonaspot (Oct 5, 2004)

*Look at a Salsa Fargo*

3500 miles on mine and no regrets.


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## hunter006 (Jan 20, 2012)

I have the Ogre. I also rode the Fargo. The Fargo... 'wallows' by comparison to the Ogre. The geometry of the Fargo is unlike anything else I could compare it to, so I really can't say much else other than take one for a test ride. Some people really like that handling though; I am yet to meet an unhappy Fargo owner. Also, they offer really tiny frame sizes for short people.

The one area that the Fargo has the Surly beat is attaching things to the bike. I believe there are more water bottle cages on the Fargo than there are on the Ogre. The ones that count though would normally be occupied by a frame bag, so I think it evens out in the end.

The Ogre and the Fargo can both take Salsa Anything cages on the forks, which are a huge plus in my books. I recently "tested" the effectiveness of this on a 120 mi out-and-back all day fire road/trail ride. FWIW, I was riding with 2 Cat 1 XC racers and 1 Cat 2 XC racers, and I had no problems keeping up with them.

How I set up the bike (the frame bag was a prototype that I was supposed to be able to use both main triangle bottle cages; unfortunately that did not work out very well):









In case that link dies, original post: Roslyn Ramble What I did yesterday. 120.54 mi. ...


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## bandit1 (Jun 27, 2011)

Thanks for the input on the bikes, I will check with one of my LBS, they carry Surly bikes in shop, I may get lucky to test an Ogre in person. I am less concerned with water bottle cages, as I use a camel back and know how to make drinkable water in the field. I also usually carry water purifaction tablets with me just incase they are needed. So my 3L camelbak will be more than sufficiant as far as hydration goes. I am more intested in how much you can pack and how much weight it can handle before handling becomes compromised beyone ridability.


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## hunter006 (Jan 20, 2012)

Water bottle cages are handy, but the main thing here was that you *could* mount Salsa Anything cages to the bike without resorting to the strap-mounts, which give you additional options for loading weight in ways that are useful. In addition to this, and I haven't tried this, but it looks like given the right front rack, you could use anything cages AND a front rack.

3L is ok if you're staying close to water sources. Not all of the routes I've got planned do that...


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## El Train (Apr 21, 2007)

hunter, I do believe there are the same number of cage mounts on both the ogre and the fargo. 3 on frame, and they both have the same mounts on the fork....I look at them as the functionally same bike, but one designed for drop bars, and one designed for flat bars.


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## bmike (Nov 17, 2009)

drop bars... fargo.
flat? el mariachi.
ogre looks cool too.

with frame bags just about any mtb can work. 
rigid or suspended, really depends on what you want to ride.

my fargo:

Salsa Fargo by mbeganyi, on Flickr

recently added a revelatate tangle, and a jerry can and gas tank.
will slide the down tube bottle down further into the triangle. use a bladder in the tangle.
i have anything cages but have only used them once, as a trial, for a late season trip.


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## hunter006 (Jan 20, 2012)

El Train said:


> hunter, I do believe there are the same number of cage mounts on both the ogre and the fargo. 3 on frame, and they both have the same mounts on the fork....I look at them as the functionally same bike, but one designed for drop bars, and one designed for flat bars.


I wish that were true, but a closer examination of the main triangle on the downtube for both bikes will reveal the difference.

Salsa Cycles | Bikes | Fargo 2
Second image in the thumbnail set. You can see 4 braze ons within the painted section with the Salsa logo, and one between the painted section and the steerer tube. This configuration is to allow one water bottle cage nearer to the handlebars, and one Anything cage closer towards the pedals. You can verify these thumbnails are accurate by using Google Image.

Normally I would link you to the Surly Ogre thumbnail image, but interestingly enough the image hosted on Surly's website is actually incorrect, but only for the number of braze ons (pictured 2, actually 3).
Happy birthday to me. New bike day - Surly Ogre ...
Top-right image has a good picture of the main triangle. As you can see, there's only space for one water bottle mount on the downtube. However, it is drilled for three holes, so an Anything cage could be mounted there instead.

In every other way, the mounts for the Ogre and the Fargo are the same.

EDIT: Just checked, and what you say is right for the Fargo 3 - it has the same braze on mounts as the Surly Ogre. Curiouser and curiouser! I wonder why they did that for the Fargo 3 and not the Fargo 2 or the Fargo Ti...


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## bmike (Nov 17, 2009)

hunter006 said:


> I wish that were true, but a closer examination of the main triangle on the downtube for both bikes will reveal the difference.
> 
> Salsa Cycles | Bikes | Fargo 2
> Second image in the thumbnail set. You can see 4 braze ons within the painted section with the Salsa logo, and one between the painted section and the steerer tube. This configuration is to allow one water bottle cage nearer to the handlebars, and one Anything cage closer towards the pedals. You can verify these thumbnails are accurate by using Google Image.
> ...


I do believe that Fargo 2 and 3 have the same frame.

I am pretty sure the addition of the upper cage on the down tube is for the XL frame only.
It has the 3 hole mount lower in the triangle.

Here is mine, a medium:


fargo-fence by mbeganyi, on Flickr

2 hole on the seat tube
3 hole on the top of the down tube (anything cage or standard water bottle)
2 hole on the bottom of the down tube
3 hole on the fork blades (anything cage or standard water bottle)
'lowrider' hole on the fork blades


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## hunter006 (Jan 20, 2012)

That would make a lot of sense, otherwise the main triangle would be too small. A little misleading by Salsa to do that on their site and advertising material though.


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## bmike (Nov 17, 2009)

hunter006 said:


> That would make a lot of sense, otherwise the main triangle would be too small. A little misleading by Salsa to do that on their site and advertising material though.


I don't think they are being misleading. Perhaps just an oversight.
Here is there spec page for the Fargo2:

Salsa Cycles | Bikes | Fargo 2

Pretty clear - 3 on frame, 2 on fork.
Often the early prototypes get photographed for print / web before the finalize production.

I thought they had a note about the XL version... can't find it now.


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