Explore the best cycling and bike touring routes in Raleigh, from scenic greenways to wooded trails and smooth city rides—perfect for a vacation on two wheels.
HOW DO I KEEP ELECTRONICS CHARGED DURING BIKEPACKING?
Maintaining power for electronics during bikepacking is essential for navigation, safety, communication, and documentation. With careful planning, cyclists can use a combination of battery packs, solar chargers, dynamo hubs, and energy-efficient habits to keep devices operational throughout multi-day trips. Understanding power requirements, charging strategies, and gear selection ensures uninterrupted access to essential devices in remote areas.
Assessing your electronic power needs
Before planning charging solutions, evaluate all electronics to be carried and their power consumption. Smartphones, GPS units, lights, cameras, and sensors each draw power differently. Quantifying total daily energy requirements allows for proper battery selection and charging strategy.
List all devices and consumption
Record device wattage or amp-hour requirements. Smartphones may consume 5–10 Wh per day with navigation, while cameras or lights can vary widely depending on usage.
Smartphone: daily navigation and communication use
GPS or cycling computer: continuous operation hours
Lighting systems: front and rear lights for early starts or night riding
Cameras or action cams: recording duration and frequency
Calculate total watt-hour requirement
Sum all devices’ energy consumption per day. Factor in extra power for unexpected usage or delays to avoid complete depletion of batteries during remote travel.
Add 20–30% buffer to estimated daily watt-hour needs
Include multiple-day trips for cumulative battery calculation
Document charging frequency and capacity for each device
Battery selection and management
Selecting appropriate batteries and managing them efficiently ensures continuous device operation. High-capacity power banks, lightweight lithium batteries, and modular systems are ideal for bikepacking.
Choosing the right battery
Consider capacity, weight, and recharge speed. Lithium-ion batteries offer high energy density and long life, while modular packs allow multiple devices to be charged simultaneously.
10,000–30,000 mAh power banks for multi-day trips
Lightweight, high-energy-density lithium packs
Multiple USB ports or USB-C PD for fast charging
Consider rugged or weather-resistant casing
Battery management strategies
Rotate device usage, prioritize critical electronics, and monitor battery levels daily. Avoid fully discharging lithium batteries to extend lifespan and ensure availability when needed.
Charge devices fully before departure
Use power banks to top up devices during breaks
Prioritize essential devices like GPS and phone
Track battery percentage to avoid unexpected shutdowns
Solar charging solutions
Solar chargers are lightweight, renewable options for extended bikepacking trips. They convert sunlight into electricity and recharge batteries or devices directly.
Portable solar panels
Flexible or foldable solar panels can attach to panniers or racks. Select panels with appropriate wattage to match daily energy needs, typically 10–20W for smartphones and GPS devices.
10–20W panels for basic device charging
Flexible panels for attachment to bags or racks
Sunlight-dependent, plan charging windows during peak sun hours
Combine with power banks to store energy for night use
Solar battery integration
Charge power banks directly via solar panels to buffer devices against inconsistent sun exposure. Select compatible solar and battery systems to ensure efficient energy transfer.
Solar panel with USB output connected to power bank
Monitor charging rate for optimal energy storage
Store power in the battery to charge devices at night or during rain
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