Road Bikes

This turned into a fun little side project, and I ended up with four sturdy, lightweight stakes. I cut them with a hacksaw, then clamped each one in a bench vise and hammered out a contour to prevent bending when pounded into the ground. To keep them organized, I used a rubber band made from a piece of discarded inner tube. It worked perfectly, squishing the sleeping bag down to a manageable size that fit neatly in my basket bag. The poly material seems durable enough for now, though I imagine it might start to show some wear and tear after a month or so of use. The week leading up to the disaster, I spotted a 22” 1988 Schwinn High Sierra on Marketplace, messaged the seller immediately and arranged to meet them that Thursday in Tennessee, just over the North Carolina border.

For me, the process behind the Build-Off was equally as rewarding. It was a means of forcing myself to consider the bikepacking puzzle from a different perspective in order to see what’s possible, be creative, and negotiate budgetary obstacles. Believe me when I tell you that it’s very hard to stay under the $500 allowance and still create something that’s trustworthy, beautiful, and interesting. Aside from the pad, sleeping bag, and a reclaimed piece of Tyvek I used as a groundsheet, the only other component of the sleep system I carried was a borrowed DIY tarp. I’ll talk more about that in the Further Budget section below, but since the tarp didn’t come with stakes, I decided to make some using leftover flat aluminum bar that Virginia had purchased to make her rack strut.

However, that’s exactly the direction I wanted to push this project. In fact, I originally proposed the series concept to the team with name Concours de Rummage, taking inspiration from the sophisticated builders challenge called Concours de Machines. However, I realized that’s just my style and approach, and there are infinite interpretations to a capable low-cost touring kit. In the end, we all found different ways and schwinn exercise bike motivations to tackle this challenge, and that made it even more interesting.

They say it provides a good cardio workout that works both legs and arms at the same time. The bike is described as simple and effective, providing a smooth, stable, and pain-free workout. Customers find the stationary bicycle has a solid construction and sturdy handles. They say it’s a substantial machine for home use, with well-protected parts. The workout is described as great and enjoyable, though tough.

That said, I fully acknowledge the privilege of having access to tools needed to make all the components, a scrapped pack, leftover materials, and a sewing machine—not schwinn exercise bike everyone has these resources at their disposal. However, I hope this kit and process inspire others to think creatively and resourcefully when assembling a bikepacking rig. Despite the fact that a solid 30 to 40 percent of the content we produce here on the website is about gear, much of it new, you truly don’t have to buy new things.