The best bikepacking bike for small riders?
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Testing out the Cotic Cascade
They say the best things in life are worth waiting for. That felt especially true the day I whipped out my credit card to pay a deposit for my new bikepacking bike. I’d started searching for the best bike to suit my small 5’2” frame around 18 months earlier, so this was no impulse buy! I’d even waited over a year for an XS frame to arrive in the UK.
Most people were surprised I didn’t give in, buy the next size up, and start enjoying new adventures. But after years of making do with bikes that didn’t quite fit, I finally wanted to invest in one that did.
During those 18 months, I read articles, joined Facebook groups, and asked other small cyclists for advice. I picked up loads of useful tips and now, I’m sharing them here to help other small riders find their perfect bike too.
How I (finally) found my perfect bike
First things first - I want to be honest…I’m not that interested in bike specs 🤫
I’ve tried, really I have. But for some reason, it just doesn’t click. Most of the time, it feels like I’m reading a foreign language. In an ideal world, it would make sense but even when someone explains, it goes in one ear and out the other!
Luckily, my husband loves that kind of thing. So, he was in charge of searching through manufacturer websites, checking specs, and making sure any potential bikes actually came in a small enough size (spoiler alert, most didn’t).
My role in the search? The fun stuff! Chatting to friends about what they were riding and seeing whether we were a similar height. I also asked for recommendations in online women’s bikepacking groups. Some of the replies were amazing, from people who genuinely wanted to help - thank you if you were one of them 💛
The struggle to find a small enough bike
If I’m honest, the choices out there weren’t great for me.
I soon realised that many of the best looking bikes simply weren’t designed for small riders. The ones that did come in my size often had compromises such as entry level components, no pannier rack mounts, or limited availability. Even when a bike fit all the criteria, finding a shop that stocked one to test ride, or even look at, was difficult.
I genuinely understand why. The bike industry is struggling and XS frames aren’t high volume sellers. But what’s the point in me testing a bigger size that doesn’t fit - and how on earth can I work out whether a smaller frame would work based on that?
In the past, like many riders at either end of the height spectrum (taller or shorter), I would make do. I’d find a bike that was close enough and tweak to make it work. But I didn’t want to do that this time. I still had my mountain bike, so there was no rush. This was about finally owning my dream bike, not making another compromise.
I’ll let you know what I chose a little lower down. But first, I want to share a few things that are worth thinking about if you’re also on the hunt for a new bike.
Five things to think about when choosing a bikepacking bike
First off, there’s no such thing as the best bikepacking bike.
The best bike for you might be completely different to the best bike for me. Bikepackers ride everything from full suspension mountain bikes through to sleek touring road bikes. When it comes to carrying kit, some go ultra-minimalist with seat packs, while others load up with front and rear panniers.
Having said I didn’t want to compromise, what I’m about to say may sound contradictory. But, stick with me, it’s a different kind of compromise.
Finding the best bike and bikepacking setup is all about balancing priorities and accepting a few tradeoffs along the way.
For example, on our bikepacking trip to the Outer Hebrides, I used my hardtail mountain bike. A touring bike would have been better for the terrain, but changing the tyres to faster rolling ones helped minimise drag. It was a tradeoff. It was the only bike I had, and using it meant I could still go on an adventure.
If you’re trying to work out your top priorities when buying a bikepacking bike - and what tradeoffs you’re willing to make - these questions can help.
1. What kind of terrain do you want to ride?
Most bikes can handle well-surfaced roads but, unless you’re happy to compromise on speed and pedalling efficiency, road, hybrid, or touring bikes with narrower tyres are a better choice.
For mixed terrain like gravel tracks with a few rough patches here and there, gravel bikes with wider tyres and more tread will work better.
For gnarly mountain trails, a mountain bike set up is the way to go. From there, you’ll get a choice between rigid forks, hardtail, or full-suspension.
2. How much do you want to carry?
For a lightweight overnight trip, you can easily add frame bags, saddlebags, and handlebar bags to most bikes without needing special rack mounts.
Having said that, rear saddlebags may not work on smaller frames because there’s not enough clearance between the saddle and rear tyre. On my mountain bike, I solved this by using a pannier rack, but the tradeoff is extra bulk and weight.
If you plan on carrying more kit for longer adventures, look for bikes with rack mounting points. This allows you to add pannier racks, bottle cages, and basket bags for extra capacity. But, as always, there’s a tradeoff with a heavier bike that’s less suited for gnarly terrain.
3. How do you use your gears?
A fully-loaded bike is heavy, so having a few extra gears can make life much easier when it comes to tackling hills.
The right cassette size and chainring depends on your riding style. For example, my husband loves to power up hills in a bigger gear. Me, I prefer to spin my legs in an easier gear. It means we both need a different set up.
After demoing my new bike, I decided to go for more gears than the standard option. I also switched to a shorter crank, which means my knees don’t come up as high when pedalling and less effort is needed at the top of the rotation. It also gives me more ground clearance at the bottom.
4. Do you want the option to change your riding position?
With flat bars, you’ll pretty much be in the same riding position all the time, which can lead to fatigue and muscle soreness over long distances. You could add bar ends to change things up, or even swap a Jones bar for a different feel.
Interestingly, some smaller women shared that they use a Jones bar to help make a bigger bike fit them better.
Drop handlebars on the other hand offer more flexibility in riding position. By switching regularly, you can reduce hand and wrist fatigue on long rides. They also let you ride in a more aerodynamic position, which is great for long distances and higher speeds.
5. What kind of tyres do you want?
The terrain you’ll be riding plays a big part in choosing the right tyre size and tread. You’ll also need to think about weather and trail conditions - will you be riding on dry, dusty summer roads, or tackling wet trails full of claggy mud?
Your bike will also affect tyre choice. Road bikes, gravel bikes, and mountain bikes all use different tyres.
I bought a gravel bike that’s closer to a mountain bike than road bike. I picked it up as we headed towards winter in the UK and knew I’d be riding rigid forks and drop handlebars instead of my tried and tested front suspension and flat bars. So I decided to start out with a wider, grippier tyre. In warmer and drier weather, I can choose to swap it for a narrower, faster rolling tyre.
To put it simply, wider, knobbly tyres are great for rough and muddy terrain but will drag on road surfaces making it harder and slower to pedal. Narrower and smoother tyres roll faster on hard surfaces like tarmac, but have less grip in the mud.
The bikepacking bike choices
After weighing everything up, I decided to go for a gravel bike with off-road roots rather than one based on road bike geometry. It made sense given my mountain biking background, and would be the closest fit to the kind of riding I already enjoyed.
One of the biggest challenges I experienced was finding the right frame size. Most manufacturers’ recommended rider sizes started a couple of inches taller than me, making it difficult to find the right fit.
My height is 5’2” (158cm) and riders of a similar height gave the following recommendations:
Salsa Fargo - XS size rider height of 150cm – 160cm
Bombtrack Beyond 1 - XS size rider height 150 – 161
Surly Bridge Club - XS size rider height 152cm – 165cm
Specialised Chisel - S size rider height 158 - 165
They’re all worth checking out, but I personally struggled with both local availability and getting the right specs. For example, the Specialised Chisel didn’t have the rack mounts I wanted.
Enter the Cotic Cascade…
The Cotic Cascade was the bike I kept coming back to throughout those 18 months of searching.
On the Cotic website, it’s described as a “29 adventure bike”. I could choose between a build with drop or flat bars, and rigid or 100mm suspension fork. In other words, I could ride it as a hardtail mountain bike, or rack it up for longer bikepacking trips.
I read and watched countless reviews of the Cascade, and it was consistently described as both fun and stable on technical off-road terrain. I also chatted to people who already owned one, including someone who had taken hers across Africa.
In short, it seemed like the perfect bike especially as Cotic had introduced an XS size to the range with a rider height of 155cm - 166cm. Right in my height range!
Wahooo 🙌 when could I book a demo?
And that was where I had to exercise a little patience.
Although I’d found the Cascade, I had to wait a year for the XS frame to arrive in the UK. I chose to wait rather than testing the bigger S frame and risk being tempted to compromise. Then, when it finally arrived, I had a little longer to wait until we found a spare weekend to fit in with Cotic’s Super Saturday event.
But, finally the Cascade demo day arrived
I fully expected to prefer riding the Cascade with flat handlebars and front suspension, so was a bit disappointed when the demo bike only had drop handlebars and rigid forks.
In hindsight though, I’m glad it worked out that way.
I’d never ridden with drop handlebars before, and the last time I rode with rigid forks was back in the 1990’s before suspension became standard on mountain bikes.
The Cascade rolled along nicely on the road before we turned off-road to ride along a gravel track and through a grassy field. But then, we came to a section of technical downhill singletrack and the bike came alive. The precision and control left me grinning from ear to ear.
I was sold!
The Cascade had me hooked, and that little stretch of singletrack sealed the deal.
Back at Cotic HQ, we discussed a few tweaks to make it work better for me, and I placed my order.
Now I’m a proud member of the Cotic Owners Club and dreaming of the adventures we’ll share together.
Interested in a Cascade demo? Get in touch with Cotic
Enjoying the Cotic Cascade
You may also be interested in reading:
20 of the UK’s best long-distance cycling routes for bikepacking
Bikepacking the Hebridean Way: Getting started
Adventure bucket list: 40 amazing ideas in the UK and Europe
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