Any tips for bikepacking in Iceland?

Don't take food, there's loads in there but a lot of it is frozen.

Alcohol is really expensive.

Tip# - Get yourself a NEW 1L Trangia fuel bottle and fill it with the tipple of your choice.

Yeah booze is expensive and outwith bars etc is only available from gov off-licenses which seem to be rarely open. Beer in petrol stations is not really beer at 0.000001% for flavour/alcohol. Don't bother.

No midges, just small non-bitey flies, but only when it isn't windy.

It will be windy.

Hardfiskur is awesome. Like crisps but fishy so better.

It will be windy.

Sorry can't help with  the bikepacking, only been on holiday but planning to return to hike or bikepack.

Liking that tip Dyna-ti! I have read that beer is £9-10 each...

Don’t take food, there’s loads in there but a lot of it is frozen

I thought only mum's could go, so was concerned my 16 stone rugby lad frame might get found out..

its a really really long way between places, so I'd go on that trip assuming you have to be self-sufficient the entire route. Plan for how you'll escape if things go south

I've stayed at the hostel at https://www.hostelworld.com/pwa/hosteldetails.php/Reykjavik-Dalur-HI-Hostel/Reykjavik/8792, it was fine. It's next to the big campsite if you want to go cheaper (I've also camped there), and also next to the largest outdoor thermal pool in Iceland, well worth a visit.

We were there camping for a week in July a couple of years ago. The warmest it got was 6*C and wind never dropped below gale force with frequent rain; think Scottish December/Jan weather but with constant daylight.

Spectacular place, but if we go back I'm staying somewhere with heating.

Has anyone mentioned the wind? <br /><br />

Just back from a week there (in a car, staying in hostels/guest houses) - and it is a stunning place. Must admit I spent most of the time there thinking how much I fancied getting on a bike and heading inland from route 1.

In one wild moment of fancy, I was trying to work out when/how I could get fit enough and find time for the divide: Iceland Divide.

Don't listen to all those saying it'll be windy - we were there for a week and it was only gale-force winds for 6.5 days.. and the snow came and closed all the roads in the NE of the country.

Beer - it was about £10/pint.. burger and chips was about £18-20 - it's expensive but not crazy expensive compared to what you can spend easily in the UK these days - and if you're knackered (a lightweight) and ready to fall asleep after a beer, it's not that bad for the 4-5 evenings we went out.

Please keep posting on how your plans develop - it may inspire me! Good luck.

I was there about 8 years ago in July, but just on foot. A few days either side of a trip to East Greenland hiking and camping.

Had no weather or wind issues, but I was probably lucky judging by others reports.

Stayed on the big campsite near the hostel mentioned above which was fine and cheap enough. Used some buses. I just got takeaway food; hot dogs (amazing), local burger chain and subway which was all my budget could handle, and used the 7-11 type shops. Booze wasn't an issue as I don't drink.

We looked in to doing one of the walking routes, enquired in November I think about huts the following July and they were all booked up - so I think you need to plan well in advance.

Based on reading the above, I'd go somewhere warmer - warm places have good views too.

Jenny Graham / Lael Wilcox Iceland film here

https://app.globalcyclingnetwork.com/hJNkVgrww8mPSncS6

Tried to cycle around it back in 2011, taking the the internal road (F35) cross country in Mid June. Snow meant road North was shut. Tried anti-clockwise to give snow chance to melt. Volcano erupted and ash in the air made riding (breathing) horrible/impossible. Front hub collapsed. Great couple of weeks though. Go for it, but be flexible. Wind is a thing as others have said.

I did the Divide and rode back from North to South.

Take river crossings seriously.

With the wrong type of wind, an 8-day trip could become 15 days, or 5 days, depending on the direction.

I took A LOT of packaged food, freeze-dried veg, etc., with me and saved a lot of money. Food is pricey.

With bothies, a few are staffed, and extremely expensive. I wildcamped 100% of the time.

Ground water is abundant save for a few zones, so no need to carry much.

Amazing country, and amazing cycling, but very dependant on weather. Take a strong, 4-season tent!

Friend motorbiked it summer 2021. Lap of the country plus a couple of inland excursions.
Ended up spending two days stuck in a tent because the wind was so strong the bikes were unrideable. On the plus side, once they'd laid the bikes down (before they fell over) they had some nice heavy weights to tie the tents to.

Only reason they managed to catch the ferry (they were half a day late due to the weather) was because the ferry was half a day late due to the weather. Then took bloody ages to unload, due to the weather... It was a windy few days.

They're already booked up to do it next summer.

Thanks everyone for taking time to reply, ours is a mixed group with half of us being very experienced bikepackers/ hill walkers and other half not so much, so at present we aim to strike for the huts each evening, with the less experienced sleeping inside (although taking tent/ sleeping gear) and the more experienced camping.

@greybeard the hostel you stayed at looks great thanks

And noted about trying to book the huts now if planning on being there in July

You may want to pick up the current (and last ever) Cranked mag. There is an article on the Laugarvevegur trail; looks great.

Thread hijack...had anyone responding done an organised bike tour in Iceland.

Expect it's silly money, but takes some of the risk factor out I assume.

Thanks @hazmo - ordered a copy on-line, been meaning to anyway being the final one and the Mint Sauce cover

I opened this thread in another forum as I'm planning to do the Iceland Divide next summer, it might help.

I have no camping or bikepacking experience, but I have until then to gain some!