Bikepacking / Touring Bile Build

[Trevz]

Hi Guys

 

Looking for some advice.

I want to get into bikepacking / touring. 

 

I got a hardtail MTB and have been thinking of getting the Momsen Steel STF frame and importing my parts over. (This seems to be a cheaper solution)

 

The other option I'm looking at is getting a drop bar gravel bike, In this regard been looking at Farr Out frame kit. I really like it. Also been looking at like a Momsen GP300 or a Merida Silex if I can find one nowadays. Building up the Farr frame will be more costly due to getting a gravel groupset.

 

What I'm wondering to myself is, for spending long days in the saddle on SA gravel roads do I need a thinner tyre gravel bike or do I need a thicker tyre mtb?

 

I lean to the Farr frame at the moment. Was even thinking of possibly running it as a flat bar initially to keep costs down. 

 

What do you guys think is the best setup for my intended purpose?

[Moriarty]

I would stick with a hardtail mtb, no reason why you can't swop between straight, drop and jones bars.

[PhilipV]

What is wrong with your current hardtail? Why not keep it and ride it as is with some lekker fast rolling tyres.

 

With the modern Bikepacking bags you don't need rack mounts or the like. And you can even spend the new bike budget on some custom bags made by Nodo packs (search for him on Instagram) and the other paraphernalia you'll need.