Cycling trip. How many bags to bring with me

Currywurst

Hello all,
Im going to Vienna this summer, and cycling from there to Salzburg and then joining the Prague Vienna greenways cycle route all the way to Prague.
I will book the flights soon, but dont know how many bags i should check on. I will be going with a tent so i can camp along the way.
Can pannier bags be taken on as hand luggage? I dont know the sizes. Its for two weeks, so maybe a rucksac and a pannier bag might be enough.

Thanks

Tonyandthewhale

Well anytime I've gone away on the bike (Longest was 3 weeks across Europe) I got away with one set of panniers (a triple meaning two pockets on the sides and a bit on the top) with I think 28 litres capacity total, that would do me but it really depends on how much you bring and if you're going to go shopping and bring back loads of gifts etc.
If you do need extra space I'd say front mounted low-rider panniers are a better option than adding a rucksack as that will make you all hot and sweaty if it's at all warm which will be uncomfortable if you have to do it for two weeks.
As for hand luggage, panniers can probably be taken on as handluggage as easily as a backpack but then again they don't really encourage you to bring a backpack with two weeks worth of luggage and a tent on as hand luggage do they? So it's hard to say.

barrabus

Are you bringing a stove, plates etc ?
If you are, that plus camping and sleeping gear is a front and back pannier affair IMO.

blorg

You can take panniers on the plane as handbaggage as long as they are within the weight. If the check in agent doesn't see them and they aren't ridiculous you will PROBABLY get away with far more than the allowance. Be ready to stuff them up your jersey (to become simply a very fat person) if Ryanair is checking weight on checkin (in my experience this is actually very rare.) If checking them you can tape them together with duck tape to get away with them being "one bag" (this has been explicitly necessary for me before.)

blorg

A general tip is to lay everything out on a flat surface you are planning on bringing and discard half of it. You won't need it. Then do it again

Personally I can't see the point in bringing a stove, etc. a lot of extra hassle. I have gone four months camping on salad bread cheese and ham and it did me no harm.

Currywurst

barrabus wrote: »

Are you bringing a stove, plates etc ?
If you are, that plus camping and sleeping gear is a front and back pannier affair IMO.

No Im not bringing a stove. Just a bread roll and fruit will do me. Just a tent, sleeping bag. ill probably be able to pick up a sleeping mat in Vienna instead of taking it.
So yes a triple pannier taped together as handluggage and a rucksac in the hold i think will suffice.

Thanks for the tips.

IM0

Currywurst wrote: »

So yes a triple pannier taped together as handluggage

thats really pushing it in terms of taking it as carry on, youll be lucky to get through.

petethedrummer

Don't bring a rucksack unless its tiny (really tiny). I prefer them to panniers for commuting but I definitely wouldn't go on holidays with one.

On my one and only cycling holiday we over packed somewhat. The cycle from the airport to the city centre in Copenhagen confirmed this. So we sent a load of stuff home.

I'd advise you to go for a 2 hour cycle with what you think you need and see how you get on. It might make you re-think what you're planning to bring. AND GET A GOOD MAP. Don't get drunk when you arrive and expect irish style opening hours in the map shop on a sunday, then arrive at the map shop when its closed. Then get drunk again and start the cycle with no proper map while still drunk. Only an idiot(s) would do that.

Also with regards European opening hours. Don't expect anything open after six in small towns. You might end up spending an evening desperate for any morsel of food, while simultaneously trying to break the hour record in order to reach the hostel before the check-in closes. In the rain. With no map. After 12 hours of cycling.

Good times.

serendip

blorg wrote: »

Personally I can't see the point in bringing a stove, etc. a lot of extra hassle. I have gone four months camping on salad bread cheese and ham and it did me no harm.

I could easily go without a stove for food; but life would be unbearable without the ability to make tea (or coffee, if that's what floats your boat).

A stove is a must. I use a small Trangia, but you can get away with something that weighs virtually nothing (http://www.google.ie/search?q=coke+can+stove).

mrbike

I normally check in just one bag. I bring some heavy duty garden sacks and put everything in them, and tape them up. That way you can fit your panniers, ground mat and tent all in one bag.

Be careful about what you bring through as hand luggage - knives, tools etc. Also tent pegs will be taken off you if you try and bring them through.

blorg

serendip wrote: »

I could easily go without a stove for food; but life would be unbearable without the ability to make tea (or coffee, if that's what floats your boat).

I guess whatever floats your boat, I am a coffee man myself and when touring would generally just buy it in a local cafe... most places I have toured in Southern Europe this cost between 50c and 90c.

barrabus

If I wuz you....
I would go with two ortlieb rear panniers and a bar bag, no way would I carry a ruck sack if i had the option of panniers.

The most I would go on the body is a bum bag (I went ultra light on the raid pyrenean with blorg and used a bum bag as my main bag and it was fine).

petethedrummer

barrabus wrote: »

If I wuz you....
I would go with two ortlieb rear panniers and a bar bag, no way would I carry a ruck sack if i had the option of panniers.

Yeah I forgot about the bar bag option. A bar bag and panniers is definitely the way I'd go too.

Down with rucksacks.

Civilian_Target

For sure you won't need more than the triple pannier. Your greatest asset is a light bag.

Stove etc. is massive overkill.

It's europe, you can buy anything you need as you go.

IM0

petethedrummer wrote: »

Don't expect anything open after six in small towns. You might end up spending an evening desperate for any morsel of food, while simultaneously trying to break the hour record in order to reach the hostel before the check-in closes. In the rain. With no map.

Good times.

ahh.. that takes me back

mrbike wrote:

I normally check in just one bag. I bring some heavy duty garden sacks and put everything in them, and tape them up. That way you can fit your panniers, ground mat and tent all in one bag.

I do similar except I use a very lightweight (material) big 80l drybag that cost 5 or so, works a treat for the 'one bag' trick