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Unsupported bikepackingYou have to go it alone in this gravel event

Sandra Schuberth

 · 05.11.2024

Unsupported bikepacking: you have to go it alone in this gravel eventPhoto: Lakes & Knödel / Maxi Köck
In an unsupported bikepacking race, there is often no one to help you. This is something for real adventurers!
A gravel race where you're completely on your own - that's something for real adventurers. In so-called unsupported bikepacking races, you have to ride a certain route on your own. But it takes a lot more than good legs.
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Long-distance gravel events are made for adventurers. It's less about speed and more about endurance, navigation and stamina - and efficiency for those at the top. Smart pauses can mean stopping only when several things can be done at once, such as taking off your jacket, peeing and topping up your water.

Unsupported bikepacking: Alone with nature - and your bike

These events are often organised without support (unsupported), which means that you are on your own and have to carry your own equipment and food or organise it on the way. You also have to organise your own accommodation.

At bikepacking events such as Lakes 'n' Knödel, precise route planning in an unknown landscape is often part of the taskPhoto: Lakes & Knödel / Maxi KöckAt bikepacking events such as Lakes 'n' Knödel, precise route planning in an unknown landscape is often part of the task

You can sleep in hotels, but do not book them before the start. The routes often lead through remote regions and require good planning as well as mental and physical strength. The clock only stops at the finish.

Unsupported bikepacking races: the typical procedure

A bikepacking event usually starts the day before with a briefing. The organisers explain the rules, warn of dangerous sections, point out long routes without refreshment facilities and provide information about what else is important. Personal preparation starts beforehand, however, and packing is part of it. Also: study the route, check catering options, accommodation options and more. Many experienced bikepackers prepare a road book, print it out and laminate it to make it weatherproof. Others use their smartphone or the event track on their sat nav.

At most events, each participant is given a GPS tracker so that the bikers can be tracked online at all times - this is called "dotwatching". The clock starts ticking at the start, no outside support or help is allowed, not even private overnight accommodation. You can go to supermarkets, petrol stations, restaurants, sleep on campsites, in hotels along the route or not at all. The rules - and also legal regulations, for example on wild camping - can differ from event to event, so you should read them carefully beforehand.

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Requirements for participation

  • Gravel bike or mountain bike hardtail with good lights
  • Luggage bags
  • Good self-assessment
  • Experience in self-catering and navigation

Unsupported Bikepacking Events 2025

  • Seven Serpents & Seven Serpents Quick Bite (Slovenia - Italy, May 2025)
  • Bright Midnight (Norway, July 2025)
  • Lakes 'n' Knödel (Austria, September 2025)
  • Radrace 96h (Montenegro, October 2025)

Sandra Schuberth

Sandra Schuberth, sometimes an after-work ride, sometimes a training ride, sometimes an unsupported bikepacking challenge. The main thing is her and her gravel bike - away from the traffic. Seven Serpents, Badlands or Bright Midnight: she has finished challenging bikepacking races. Gravel and bikepacking are her favourite subjects, and her demands on equipment are high. What she rides, uses and recommends has to stand the test of time: not in marketing, but in real life.

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