Thank you for sharing! Always nice to see what people pack for new ideas. Those solar panels are going to be on my list. Music is my fuel too, so unlimited music seems very nice.
Nice vid Rob. You covered the most important things which is water storage then water storage again, first aid and shelter (of course). I don't want to get smart or anything but I would suggest getting bigger water bladder instead of the one you have. I live in a place where there is a lot of springs you can drink straight from, however they usually go dry in a summer and there is nothing worst (except maybe for prison, rape and death) than being tired and thirsty in the end of the day, setting up a camp, having no water knowing the next town is like 20 kilometers away. Of course it depends on how you plan your route ( I usually tour in remote areas and don't plan anything just looking at my gps and thinking I should probably go this way ). Also tick removal tweezers, 2 small mirrors, liquid iodine and small bug net (to put over your hat) proved to be handy. Anyway cool setup, handle bar bag, rear panniers, that's realy all it's needed I've been touring like that for years. The trail will teach you what to keep and what to ditch.
Thanks for the advice - I appreciate it - The route I was going was on the transamerica route leading to the western express, and I found really good success with filling up with as much extra water into my body before leaving someplace, particularly first thing in the morning. After doing that in the morning I would end up going 20 miles (about 2 hours) before feeling the urge to start drinking, and just the bike bottles (2L total) would last for 30 more miles, let alone once I throw in the 6L bladder. Some of the details of the first aid/survival kit included a pair of tweezers, an emergency signal mirror, a lifestraw, Thinking of it, a mosquito net would've been good on some slow hill climbs in buggy areas. I ended up feeling pretty good about what I had with me, although I might want a more storm resistant tent for windy areas/a derecho. Maybe if I'd tied out every guyline it'd have been better, but that's not something I'll get to test often.
thanks- i like the advice of double tying the solar panels, in case one level of ties would fail; and i like the tip on wearing white arm covers instead of sunscreen
Thanks - yeah, I hate the thought of losing my panels by surprise when I need that power. This coming summer I'm going to try out a UV buff for the ears, neck, and face. I discovered out in open sky country that the reflection of the sun off of everything would leave me getting too much sun on those areas, even with the DaBrim. Heavy winds also ended up making me need to take off DaBrim in KS for a day as well, so extra sun protection would be welcome.
Cool, I've wanted to do something like that - I'd say make sure to have a off bike sun protection shirt too, something loose and breezy that blocks UV.
You're right that ideally you want to pack calorie-dense, moisture-low foods. Unfortunately I can't do that as I have a health issue which requires that I eat reasonably well-hydrated whole fruits only. Because of this, I'm looking into packing my gear and food on a bicycle instead of carrying a backpack, so I can more easily deal with the added weight and bulk of that kind of food. As well, if I'm on a longer trip of say a week, I'd need to get to a fruit store once every few days. On foot in the area I live (Australia), the distances are too long between towns and the camping places to do that on foot. So the bicycle might solve that problem of having to "go shopping" too. I figure if I use fruits of medium-hydration and calorie density such as grapes (can't go drier than that), I'd need to carry about 6 lbs of food per day. So if I take a 3-day load of food, I'd need to carry about 20 lbs of food at a time. So total pack weight with food I'd say would be about 30 - 40 lbs. Will a bicycle with pannier's handle that amount of weight? I know 40 lbs is a bit too heavy for me to carry long distances as a backpack. Would you think I'd be able to get by on just back panniers if the pannier's are of large size like 80 liters total (40 liter each pannier)?
That sounds like a challenge to deal with, but lets see if I can provide any helpful advice. One thing that jumps to mind is what is your flexibility for re-hydrating something that's been dried? Being able to do that would be helpful for you, as you'd only need to resupply water for getting the fruit back up to working for your needs, and resupplying water once a day would probably be easier on you than carrying around the water for days in the form of fully hydrated fruit. So, overnight you could soak the fruit in water or heat it in water for dinner to get it back up to working for you. You're asking good questions on pack weight distribution and loads and all that. A heavy backpack is definitely hard for anything long on the bike - smaller hydration packs are the most I've done/would feel comfortable with. In my experience the Ortlieb panniers will handle the weights that the rack would handle. For instance, a lot of rear and front racks aren't rated for weights above 50 or 60 pounds, so 25 pounds in each pannier would be about what you can do. So, you should be able to make that kind of situation work I'd say. The additional things I'd recommend include: make sure the weight is balanced between left and right for the panniers (seeing how it feels by hand is good enough); make sure to pack your fruit in a way that keeps it from getting jostled too much and damaged (some fruits are very vulnerable to this); and personally, I'd probably put my food into my front panniers if I were you, since that helps with organizing/knowing where it all is as well as the fact that fruit will be less bulky and more just weight dense than much of your other equipment, and front panniers are generally smaller. Hope that helps - and keep your eyes peeled on the channel, I'm going to step up my postings shortly.
Hi Rob, I'm so new in "touring bike" and searching for info. Then, your video came up. Thanks for sharing this good stuff. I guess that you are living in DC metro area. Me too. I wonder, if so, would you let me see your bike set up?
I can - just have to put it all together and make sure it's about what I took on the trip. In the meantime you can watch the winter touring/camping video and I outline what I have in my tool and medical bags.
I can't believe no one asked how much this all weighs (did you weigh it?). I've not done bicycle touring but I plan to soon. I have done a lot of long distance backpacking through remote wilderness. No way would I carry anywhere near the stuff you are carrying. All those nice bags can be replaced with ziplock bags. Way too much paranoid fix it stuff like all the wrenches. A small pack of allen wrenches and a multi tool should do it. Way too many clothes. I'm pretty sure you could do well with half the stuff you have. Even though you may be able to carry it all, wouldn't it be nice to have a lighter bike for all those miles? To each his own, but it seems like a lot of overkill. Thanks for taking the time for the well done video.
Agreed. The biggest rookie mistake when preparing for a long-term tour is to OVER PACK! Buying all these cycle touring items seems good and fun when sitting at home planning, but carrying all that stuff day in and day out in the real environment is totally different. We have all made this mistake. Unless you have PLENTY of time and daily milage is absolutely not important (30 miles per day. Which would take a individual forever to get anywhere), traveling lighter is always better. The basics...super lightweight sleeping gear: 1p tent, air mattress and air pillow, a quilt (lighter and packs down much more than a bulky sleeping bag). Lightweight clothing that has wicking abilities, adequate cold weather clothing and rain gear. Minimal tools: tube patches. A 1 gal water blatter is good for long distances as a backup too.
@@The-GreenHornet Wow. Late reply. I did go on an 11K mile bike tour after my comment. I left with 85 lbs of stuff and after the first day of riding, I got a hotel and pulled out 25 lbs and sent it home. I did finish the tour just fine with the smaller amount of gear.
Do you get all your gear into panniers? I only have my daily city commuting ones so don't hold a lot. I need a massive 120 Litre Backpack (31.7 Gallon for US) Heading on a 3 day trip in Scotland next week. Kinda nervous as i'm on a new bike and not 100% if it's gonna be up to touring. I will be on a Giant Rapid 3 opposed to my old Giant Escape 3. New one has me much lower.
Thanx for the awesome vid, Rob! Do you know if those front wheel hub recharging generators are as good as the solar kind? Never did any touring yet, but just love long day rides here in Colorado. Well, thanx again for the great video and be safe out there!
+Johnnyhumbkr Thanks - I'm replacing my front wheel (since I've almost worn through the rim) and am getting a dynamo hub, so once I have a good feel for how that works I'll post up a video and information about that.
Shouldn't you be putting more weight (front panniers) on the front than the rear since your weight is on the rear as well? Or did you prefer to free up the steering while you're touring?
Putting 60% of the weight in front is the general theory to help with weight balance and wheel wear. But, since the amount of equipment I carry doesn't need me to have two sets of panniers, I just have the weight on rear panniers. Carrying a second set of panniers would be an extra 3.5 pounds, in addition to the tendency I'd then have of carrying even more stuff. But, when I fill up my water bladder I strap that to the front of the bike in place of the tent. Also, having everything in fewer bags is handy since it makes me less likely to misplace or not be able to find something.
Great Video... Thank you! I was wondering what Goal Zero charger you have? Additionally, do you travel with a laptop, and is the charger be able to support it?
+James Clark I believe it's the 7 - it's their smallest standard model, with the two panels and the battery pack. The battery pack is great, since it keeps the energy coming into your device steady while your amount of solar power varies. They recently updated this charger I believe, and I think it's supposed to be improved. I'll be comparing the performance of this to a dynamo hub charger that I'm receiving soon.
I end up feeling like a trailer is another item to take care of as far as spare inner tubes, parts for repairing a trailer, and all that. Since I city commute I'm also used to panniers for that (as a trailer would be a bit awkward for my use). And that's the regular version of the LHT - got it just before the new version came out. I haven't gotten to try out the disc one (or any disc bike) so I don't know what the comparison would be.
What about tubes and tires and spokes and repair gear? I've watched just about every bicycling video on UA-cam and have only come across ONE guy that crossed the USA showing more than twenty flats as well as busted spokes and cranks.
+Buzzards Bass I had two spare inner tubes, and two inner tube patch kits (so I could've repaired 14 flats without running out of options). I had duct tape and dollar bills to patch the tire if needed. The Surly Long Haul Trucker also has multiple spare spokes attached to the frame as needed. I do think I should get a fiber spoke for repairing the rear wheel if needed. But overall, my circumstances seem to be that if I carry everything I'd need to repair a particular problem, it'll never happen. That and I make sure to check/maintain my equipment, and have newer items as necessary at the start of a trip - such as newer chain, cassette, chain rings, tires.
Travelfreak78 I do ride with a tent - at least for this equipment list. I strap that to the top of the front rack of the bike, and switch it up to the top of the back rack if I need to fill my water bag up and put it on the front rack. I currently use camping hammocks, but I can shove that and the tarp into a compression bag together and strap that to the top of the front rack. For hot weather a good camping hammock (mosquito netting and double bottom) is far superior to a single person tent. I even use it in colder weather now due to the higher comfort level of the hammock, despite being more sensitive to cold temperatures.
Great list, I went through this in planning my next trip where I'm cycling for 3 months going Coast to Coast of USA (my last tour was across Europe but was 3 years ago). I'm going to be doing a Vlog as well as uploading my fundraising videos. Please subscribe if you would like to see more about my trip.
I generally bring a can stove (tin can with a V cut into it and air holes cut into the bottom) and a single pot. However, I almost never use it, because the benefit of having warm food is generally not worth the extra hassle of making a fire and cooking - it's more of a safety device if I'm freezing cold and need heat. Most of the time I eat PB, bread, cheese, and other calorie dense and no cooking required foods. I was bringing multiple jackets so that I would be warm if it were cold in the Rockies and western high deserts. In retrospect, I would probably be able to make do without either the Patagonia vest or REI Revelcloud jacket, but live and learn.
Thanks rob interesting. I haven't done any touring yet just riding around the suburbs around the 100 km rides but am thinking of getting a touring bike and taking of for a few years . I plan to staying the warmer parts of Australia most of the time.
I didn't even know it was happening until I discovered that I'd been wearing through the silicone straps connecting the bike light to the seat. I also lift weights, and I'm not built as slim as most cyclists, so that might be related to why as well.
I'm actually very light on what I carry compared to a lot of other folks I ran into. Since I was crossing through several mountain ranges, deserts, and areas with 85 miles between someplace to get water, it was important for me to have the capacity to handle a wide range of weather, take care of basic medical issues, and take care of a range of mechanical issues. What do you end up taking on your tours?
That gives me a better perspective. Didn't mean to come off as a dick. :) I'm looking into touring with a friend but haven't done so yet (unless you consider Ragbrai touring). Thanks for your insight.
No problem - things can always come off worse than intended in text. There's good places in multiple areas of the country for doing initial touring trips. The C&O Canal in MD/VA and the Great Allegheny Passage trail in PA are both good places to tour without cars being a concern. There's good routes in multiple other areas too. Experience is good for learning what you want to take and want to leave behind. 300 miles into a 2000 mile tour isn't the time to realize you do or really don't need something.
Not yet, but I intend to - I'll be doing videos on the Transamerica route and my thoughts on it, as well as the route going from DC to Pittsburgh on the C&O canal and Great Allegheny Passage trails.
Everybody has their own speed, style and way to go - you might like some of the ultralight bike touring pages. I've had enough emergencies happen while biking to make me take precautions.
Палатка - 560 грамм, маленькое детское одеяло - 800 грамм. Одежда только та, которая на мне. Плюс одежда для сна - легкая. Котелок военный. Один инструмент универсальный - напрасно брал в поездку, потому что ничего не ломалось. Два раза покрышку менял. Покрышки были почти вечные - СДЕЛАНО В СССР. Я даже фотоаппарат не брал - тяжелый, больше одного килограмма.
герман трубицын Cool - I've never toured around Europe (so forgive if these are obvious questions) - are towns and services close together on the trip you did? I didn't even get to the emptier part of the US and I already had 40 miles between places to get water or food. Did you carry food or were places close enough together you didn't need to worry? Were you able to stay inside at hostels most of the time? Those are few and far between here. Did your clothes have any issues with failure or not having enough time to dry after washing? I have the same kind of experience with tools that I bring - I've never gotten a flat on a tour, and any work was fiddling with the bike type of stuff. If you come here, a lot of people are much more heavily outfitted than me, so you'd definitely get shock and admiration from folks.
My tortoiseshell cat has always shown an interest in the bikes - I tell my wife I should get a cat carrier and see how she likes it - she tells me that'd probably be a spectacularly bad idea. I have to admit, she'd probably be right, but it would make for a pretty funny video. All you hear is "MROOOWWL" as I ride by.
I wonder why touring cyclists go sleep in the woods and tour through so remote roads without carrying a little pistol! Keep one just in case if you get attacked by a dump animal or even dumper punk ass human being. You don't have to use it. Just carry it for protection. Only use it when you have no choice.
+Hamad Al Hussain on some countries you can get arrested -and even worse- for just carrying guns, so unless you travel the US, i'd advise against it. On a side note, knowing where it's safe to ride and where it's not, and keeping the eyes open, can make up for a gun most of the time.
+Hamad Al Hussain can carry bug spray to keep animals away. Spray in eyes if they get close. For Humans, we are just shit out of luck, because most countrys besides America they ban your ability to defend yourself.
+Hamad Al Hussain You're more likely to survive an encounter with a bear if you carry bear spray. I repeat--guns are LESS SAFE. I'd also highly recommend you look up the studies cited here on Google Scholar for a closer look. www.examiner.com/article/bear-spray-vs-guns-argument-is-ridiculous-says-bear-safety-expert
Interesting article (debatable) one I would describe. Why would a spray be more effective than a freakin fire arm? Honestly I wouldn't risk my life with a pepper spray. I think it has more to do with the type of fire arm used. Using a light tiny pistol might not immediately drop a 600 pounds charging bear. A short barrel shotgun would definitely do.
+Hamad Al Hussain The concept of gun carry while tour cycling is ridiculous especially when you are traveling with a fully loaded bicycle. Once you loose the fear of camping alone, the need for firearms diminishes.
Thank you for sharing! Always nice to see what people pack for new ideas. Those solar panels are going to be on my list. Music is my fuel too, so unlimited music seems very nice.
Nice vid Rob. You covered the most important things which is water storage then water storage again, first aid and shelter (of course). I don't want to get smart or anything but I would suggest getting bigger water bladder instead of the one you have. I live in a place where there is a lot of springs you can drink straight from, however they usually go dry in a summer and there is nothing worst (except maybe for prison, rape and death) than being tired and thirsty in the end of the day, setting up a camp, having no water knowing the next town is like 20 kilometers away. Of course it depends on how you plan your route ( I usually tour in remote areas and don't plan anything just looking at my gps and thinking I should probably go this way ). Also tick removal tweezers, 2 small mirrors, liquid iodine and small bug net (to put over your hat) proved to be handy. Anyway cool setup, handle bar bag, rear panniers, that's realy all it's needed I've been touring like that for years. The trail will teach you what to keep and what to ditch.
Thanks for the advice - I appreciate it - The route I was going was on the transamerica route leading to the western express, and I found really good success with filling up with as much extra water into my body before leaving someplace, particularly first thing in the morning. After doing that in the morning I would end up going 20 miles (about 2 hours) before feeling the urge to start drinking, and just the bike bottles (2L total) would last for 30 more miles, let alone once I throw in the 6L bladder. Some of the details of the first aid/survival kit included a pair of tweezers, an emergency signal mirror, a lifestraw, Thinking of it, a mosquito net would've been good on some slow hill climbs in buggy areas. I ended up feeling pretty good about what I had with me, although I might want a more storm resistant tent for windy areas/a derecho. Maybe if I'd tied out every guyline it'd have been better, but that's not something I'll get to test often.
thanks- i like the advice of double tying the solar panels, in case one level of ties would fail; and i like the tip on wearing white arm covers instead of sunscreen
Thanks - yeah, I hate the thought of losing my panels by surprise when I need that power. This coming summer I'm going to try out a UV buff for the ears, neck, and face. I discovered out in open sky country that the reflection of the sun off of everything would leave me getting too much sun on those areas, even with the DaBrim. Heavy winds also ended up making me need to take off DaBrim in KS for a day as well, so extra sun protection would be welcome.
i'm about to ride the florida keys, which is really exposed. it's also from a state of being very wintery/not having any sun on skin!
Cool, I've wanted to do something like that - I'd say make sure to have a off bike sun protection shirt too, something loose and breezy that blocks UV.
Very good , thanks for the tips.
You're right that ideally you want to pack calorie-dense, moisture-low foods. Unfortunately I can't do that as I have a health issue which requires that I eat reasonably well-hydrated whole fruits only. Because of this, I'm looking into packing my gear and food on a bicycle instead of carrying a backpack, so I can more easily deal with the added weight and bulk of that kind of food.
As well, if I'm on a longer trip of say a week, I'd need to get to a fruit store once every few days. On foot in the area I live (Australia), the distances are too long between towns and the camping places to do that on foot. So the bicycle might solve that problem of having to "go shopping" too.
I figure if I use fruits of medium-hydration and calorie density such as grapes (can't go drier than that), I'd need to carry about 6 lbs of food per day. So if I take a 3-day load of food, I'd need to carry about 20 lbs of food at a time. So total pack weight with food I'd say would be about 30 - 40 lbs.
Will a bicycle with pannier's handle that amount of weight? I know 40 lbs is a bit too heavy for me to carry long distances as a backpack. Would you think I'd be able to get by on just back panniers if the pannier's are of large size like 80 liters total (40 liter each pannier)?
That sounds like a challenge to deal with, but lets see if I can provide any helpful advice.
One thing that jumps to mind is what is your flexibility for re-hydrating something that's been dried? Being able to do that would be helpful for you, as you'd only need to resupply water for getting the fruit back up to working for your needs, and resupplying water once a day would probably be easier on you than carrying around the water for days in the form of fully hydrated fruit. So, overnight you could soak the fruit in water or heat it in water for dinner to get it back up to working for you.
You're asking good questions on pack weight distribution and loads and all that. A heavy backpack is definitely hard for anything long on the bike - smaller hydration packs are the most I've done/would feel comfortable with. In my experience the Ortlieb panniers will handle the weights that the rack would handle. For instance, a lot of rear and front racks aren't rated for weights above 50 or 60 pounds, so 25 pounds in each pannier would be about what you can do. So, you should be able to make that kind of situation work I'd say. The additional things I'd recommend include: make sure the weight is balanced between left and right for the panniers (seeing how it feels by hand is good enough); make sure to pack your fruit in a way that keeps it from getting jostled too much and damaged (some fruits are very vulnerable to this); and personally, I'd probably put my food into my front panniers if I were you, since that helps with organizing/knowing where it all is as well as the fact that fruit will be less bulky and more just weight dense than much of your other equipment, and front panniers are generally smaller.
Hope that helps - and keep your eyes peeled on the channel, I'm going to step up my postings shortly.
Hi Rob,
I'm so new in "touring bike" and searching for info. Then, your video came up. Thanks for sharing this good stuff.
I guess that you are living in DC metro area. Me too. I wonder, if so, would you let me see your bike set up?
Thanks for the list. Would you consider listing the inventory above in your video descriptive section?
I can - just have to put it all together and make sure it's about what I took on the trip. In the meantime you can watch the winter touring/camping video and I outline what I have in my tool and medical bags.
I can't believe no one asked how much this all weighs (did you weigh it?). I've not done bicycle touring but I plan to soon. I have done a lot of long distance backpacking through remote wilderness. No way would I carry anywhere near the stuff you are carrying. All those nice bags can be replaced with ziplock bags. Way too much paranoid fix it stuff like all the wrenches. A small pack of allen wrenches and a multi tool should do it. Way too many clothes. I'm pretty sure you could do well with half the stuff you have. Even though you may be able to carry it all, wouldn't it be nice to have a lighter bike for all those miles? To each his own, but it seems like a lot of overkill. Thanks for taking the time for the well done video.
Agreed.
The biggest rookie mistake when preparing for a long-term tour is to OVER PACK!
Buying all these cycle touring items seems good and fun when sitting at home planning, but carrying all that stuff day in and day out in the real environment is totally different.
We have all made this mistake.
Unless you have PLENTY of time and daily milage is absolutely not important (30 miles per day. Which would take a individual forever to get anywhere), traveling lighter is always better.
The basics...super lightweight sleeping gear: 1p tent, air mattress and air pillow, a quilt (lighter and packs down much more than a bulky sleeping bag).
Lightweight clothing that has wicking abilities, adequate cold weather clothing and rain gear.
Minimal tools: tube patches.
A 1 gal water blatter is good for long distances as a backup too.
@@The-GreenHornet Wow. Late reply. I did go on an 11K mile bike tour after my comment. I left with 85 lbs of stuff and after the first day of riding, I got a hotel and pulled out 25 lbs and sent it home. I did finish the tour just fine with the smaller amount of gear.
Do you get all your gear into panniers? I only have my daily city commuting ones so don't hold a lot. I need a massive 120 Litre Backpack (31.7 Gallon for US) Heading on a 3 day trip in Scotland next week. Kinda nervous as i'm on a new bike and not 100% if it's gonna be up to touring. I will be on a Giant Rapid 3 opposed to my old Giant Escape 3. New one has me much lower.
Thanx for the awesome vid, Rob! Do you know if those front wheel hub recharging generators are as good as the solar kind? Never did any touring yet, but just love long day rides here in Colorado. Well, thanx again for the great video and be safe out there!
+Johnnyhumbkr Thanks - I'm replacing my front wheel (since I've almost worn through the rim) and am getting a dynamo hub, so once I have a good feel for how that works I'll post up a video and information about that.
Nice set up :-)
Shouldn't you be putting more weight (front panniers) on the front than the rear since your weight is on the rear as well? Or did you prefer to free up the steering while you're touring?
Putting 60% of the weight in front is the general theory to help with weight balance and wheel wear. But, since the amount of equipment I carry doesn't need me to have two sets of panniers, I just have the weight on rear panniers. Carrying a second set of panniers would be an extra 3.5 pounds, in addition to the tendency I'd then have of carrying even more stuff. But, when I fill up my water bladder I strap that to the front of the bike in place of the tent.
Also, having everything in fewer bags is handy since it makes me less likely to misplace or not be able to find something.
Great Video... Thank you!
I was wondering what Goal Zero charger you have? Additionally, do you travel with a laptop, and is the charger be able to support it?
+James Clark I believe it's the 7 - it's their smallest standard model, with the two panels and the battery pack. The battery pack is great, since it keeps the energy coming into your device steady while your amount of solar power varies. They recently updated this charger I believe, and I think it's supposed to be improved. I'll be comparing the performance of this to a dynamo hub charger that I'm receiving soon.
What led you to go with panniers instead of a trailer? Also is that the regular or the disk brake version of the LHT?
I end up feeling like a trailer is another item to take care of as far as spare inner tubes, parts for repairing a trailer, and all that. Since I city commute I'm also used to panniers for that (as a trailer would be a bit awkward for my use). And that's the regular version of the LHT - got it just before the new version came out. I haven't gotten to try out the disc one (or any disc bike) so I don't know what the comparison would be.
What about tubes and tires and spokes and repair gear? I've watched just about every bicycling video on UA-cam and have only come across ONE guy that crossed the USA showing more than twenty flats as well as busted spokes and cranks.
+Buzzards Bass I had two spare inner tubes, and two inner tube patch kits (so I could've repaired 14 flats without running out of options). I had duct tape and dollar bills to patch the tire if needed. The Surly Long Haul Trucker also has multiple spare spokes attached to the frame as needed. I do think I should get a fiber spoke for repairing the rear wheel if needed. But overall, my circumstances seem to be that if I carry everything I'd need to repair a particular problem, it'll never happen. That and I make sure to check/maintain my equipment, and have newer items as necessary at the start of a trip - such as newer chain, cassette, chain rings, tires.
Great video! Did I understand it correctly that you do not ride with a tent?
Travelfreak78 I do ride with a tent - at least for this equipment list. I strap that to the top of the front rack of the bike, and switch it up to the top of the back rack if I need to fill my water bag up and put it on the front rack. I currently use camping hammocks, but I can shove that and the tarp into a compression bag together and strap that to the top of the front rack. For hot weather a good camping hammock (mosquito netting and double bottom) is far superior to a single person tent. I even use it in colder weather now due to the higher comfort level of the hammock, despite being more sensitive to cold temperatures.
What about tunes and tires and spokes and repair gear?
谢谢，你介绍的很详细，对我很有帮助。
Great list, I went through this in planning my next trip where I'm cycling for 3 months going Coast to Coast of USA (my last tour was across Europe but was 3 years ago). I'm going to be doing a Vlog as well as uploading my fundraising videos. Please subscribe if you would like to see more about my trip.
I didn't see any cooking equipment do you eat out everyday on tour. and you seem to have a lot of jackets
I generally bring a can stove (tin can with a V cut into it and air holes cut into the bottom) and a single pot. However, I almost never use it, because the benefit of having warm food is generally not worth the extra hassle of making a fire and cooking - it's more of a safety device if I'm freezing cold and need heat. Most of the time I eat PB, bread, cheese, and other calorie dense and no cooking required foods. I was bringing multiple jackets so that I would be warm if it were cold in the Rockies and western high deserts. In retrospect, I would probably be able to make do without either the Patagonia vest or REI Revelcloud jacket, but live and learn.
Thanks rob interesting. I haven't done any touring yet just riding around the suburbs around the 100 km rides but am thinking of getting a touring bike and taking of for a few years . I plan to staying the warmer parts of Australia most of the time.
Your legs rub against your seat post? How is that even possible??
I didn't even know it was happening until I discovered that I'd been wearing through the silicone straps connecting the bike light to the seat. I also lift weights, and I'm not built as slim as most cyclists, so that might be related to why as well.
First-world biking. So much stuff. Omg.
I'm actually very light on what I carry compared to a lot of other folks I ran into. Since I was crossing through several mountain ranges, deserts, and areas with 85 miles between someplace to get water, it was important for me to have the capacity to handle a wide range of weather, take care of basic medical issues, and take care of a range of mechanical issues. What do you end up taking on your tours?
That gives me a better perspective. Didn't mean to come off as a dick. :) I'm looking into touring with a friend but haven't done so yet (unless you consider Ragbrai touring). Thanks for your insight.
No problem - things can always come off worse than intended in text. There's good places in multiple areas of the country for doing initial touring trips. The C&O Canal in MD/VA and the Great Allegheny Passage trail in PA are both good places to tour without cars being a concern. There's good routes in multiple other areas too. Experience is good for learning what you want to take and want to leave behind. 300 miles into a 2000 mile tour isn't the time to realize you do or really don't need something.
Do you have videos on your trips? I'd love to hear more about your travels.
Not yet, but I intend to - I'll be doing videos on the Transamerica route and my thoughts on it, as well as the route going from DC to Pittsburgh on the C&O canal and Great Allegheny Passage trails.
Я беру 30% от твоих вещей. Мне комфортно. ))
Everybody has their own speed, style and way to go - you might like some of the ultralight bike touring pages. I've had enough emergencies happen while biking to make me take precautions.
Rob Fox В 1995 году ездил на велосипеде до Атлантики, берег Франции. Туда - обратно, 18 000 километров. Груз 7.5 килограмм. )))
Nice - what'd you take on the trip?
Палатка - 560 грамм, маленькое детское одеяло - 800 грамм. Одежда только та, которая на мне. Плюс одежда для сна - легкая. Котелок военный. Один инструмент универсальный - напрасно брал в поездку, потому что ничего не ломалось. Два раза покрышку менял. Покрышки были почти вечные - СДЕЛАНО В СССР. Я даже фотоаппарат не брал - тяжелый, больше одного килограмма.
герман трубицын
Cool - I've never toured around Europe (so forgive if these are obvious questions) - are towns and services close together on the trip you did? I didn't even get to the emptier part of the US and I already had 40 miles between places to get water or food. Did you carry food or were places close enough together you didn't need to worry? Were you able to stay inside at hostels most of the time? Those are few and far between here. Did your clothes have any issues with failure or not having enough time to dry after washing? I have the same kind of experience with tools that I bring - I've never gotten a flat on a tour, and any work was fiddling with the bike type of stuff. If you come here, a lot of people are much more heavily outfitted than me, so you'd definitely get shock and admiration from folks.
hello Orange kitty!
you didn't show us where you put your cats on your bike :D
My tortoiseshell cat has always shown an interest in the bikes - I tell my wife I should get a cat carrier and see how she likes it - she tells me that'd probably be a spectacularly bad idea. I have to admit, she'd probably be right, but it would make for a pretty funny video. All you hear is "MROOOWWL" as I ride by.
I wonder why touring cyclists go sleep in the woods and tour through so remote roads without carrying a little pistol! Keep one just in case if you get attacked by a dump animal or even dumper punk ass human being. You don't have to use it. Just carry it for protection. Only use it when you have no choice.
+Hamad Al Hussain on some countries you can get arrested -and even worse- for just carrying guns, so unless you travel the US, i'd advise against it. On a side note, knowing where it's safe to ride and where it's not, and keeping the eyes open, can make up for a gun most of the time.
+Hamad Al Hussain can carry bug spray to keep animals away. Spray in eyes if they get close. For Humans, we are just shit out of luck, because most countrys besides America they ban your ability to defend yourself.
+Hamad Al Hussain You're more likely to survive an encounter with a bear if you carry bear spray. I repeat--guns are LESS SAFE. I'd also highly recommend you look up the studies cited here on Google Scholar for a closer look.
www.examiner.com/article/bear-spray-vs-guns-argument-is-ridiculous-says-bear-safety-expert
Interesting article (debatable) one I would describe. Why would a spray be more effective than a freakin fire arm? Honestly I wouldn't risk my life with a pepper spray. I think it has more to do with the type of fire arm used. Using a light tiny pistol might not immediately drop a 600 pounds charging bear. A short barrel shotgun would definitely do.
+Hamad Al Hussain The concept of gun carry while tour cycling is ridiculous especially when you are traveling with a fully loaded bicycle. Once you loose the fear of camping alone, the need for firearms diminishes.
Sorry but you lost me at about 1 minute in. Too much waffle. How much long-distance touring have you actually done? Your gear seems pretty new?
Nice set up :-)