Light touring

Seaswimmer

Just looking for some opinions on light touring.

Has anyone used a road bike for some light touring. I am thinking of using a saddlebag (23litre) and maybe a front handlebar bag (9 litre). The bike is a fairly standard BH road bike, 7005 alloy with Ultegra. I do have 36 spoke wheels built on Open Pro rims so i was thinking with a 25c tyre it may do as a light touring setup. I am about 83KG...

Peetrik

Always been interested in trying it. Plan on giving it a proper go when I can make the time.

Good info here on ultralight cycle touring

Ole Rodrigo

I did one last year here in Ireland, hope to do another this summer. I was on a aluminum road bike (105 group) used a saddlebag (nelson long flap) and stayed in B&Bs. The advantage to this was covering more distance during the day and doing it without much weight. Its a good option for a week or 10 days, you might even stretch 2 weeks if you have quick drying clothes and pack carefully. I suppose it depends on budget and how much distance you want to cover.

Coronal

I've done light tours on my carbon bike the last two years. Captain Havoc has done similar. Last year, we were both under 15 litres of kit, just on rear racks. 32 would be for full camping kit I imagine (and possibly even a bit excessive for that)?

We're both a bit lighter than 83kg and ran 25s; do you have the option to fit 28mm tyres? With credit card touring, all you really need to bring is a spare set of cycling kit, some light off bike clothes and puncture repair stuff. I carried (including the clothes and shoes I wore while cycling) 7 kg last year, and most wheels should take that no bother. This is what my bike looked like:


There were some problems with the stuff sacks rubbing against the wheel unless I was careful, but some cardboard/plastic sides on the rack would sort that right out. Everything got bungee-corded on.

mr spuckler

that looks like a good setup coronal. i've been thinking of doing mizen to malin (camping) this year but have been struggling to see how i can manage it on a caad9 with 22 spoke rear wheels. perhaps going the credit card route with little enough kit, like yourself, might be the best option.

Tonyandthewhale

I bought a bundeswehr poncho a few weeks back, plan on using as a tarp for camping under. Reckon I can bring everything I need for a few days or even a week of touring with all my stuff packed-bindle style in the poncho and strapped to the bike. Haven't actually tried this set up out on a proper trip yet though, possibly this weekend.

Peetrik

Sounds messy TBH, a tarp in windy Ireland? Things falling out of the bindle, trying to set up the tarp in the rain with all your stuff exposed?
Just imagining the worst case scenario of course as I have no experience with tarps for camping but you can a lightweight gelert solo for e40 from millets in Dublin (or at least you could, not sure if they still have them), would be a much better option IMO.

Tonyandthewhale

I have a gelert solo actually, great tent but much bulkier than my poncho and the poncho/tarp has the advantage of if I crash while mountain biking I don't have to worry about breaking tent poles or the like.
Also, the bindle has a second bag inside (actually the bag originally for the gelert solo) to keep my stuff together while setting up camp.
You may be right about a tarp being a pain in the arse in windy Ireland but there is a precedent for that kind of thing in much worse conditions than the average wet and blustery Irish summer so I want to give it a go.

Peetrik

Ah ok, makes sense. Actually just on the crash damage thing, I read about Igor Kovse wrapping his stuff in bubble wrap for extra waterproofing and the wrap doubles as his sleeping mat, I'm sure it would help protect you gear if your expecting crashes. Just a thought off the top of my head, you sound like you know what your doing anyway

Coronal

mr spuckler wrote: »

that looks like a good setup coronal. i've been thinking of doing mizen to malin (camping) this year but have been struggling to see how i can manage it on a caad9 with 22 spoke rear wheels. perhaps going the credit card route with little enough kit, like yourself, might be the best option.

I reckon* that you could do it, with light enough kit, assuming you're pretty light yourself. Most low spoke count wheels are rated for about 100 kg riders so if you can keep yourself and luggage to 75-80 kg or so, then it might be fine. That said, I'm not sure how the static load of tent+sleeping bag vs dynamic load of rider would affect the wheels, especially over bumps.

The PX there has 24 spokes on the back and 20 on the front, so it's not beyond the bounds of possibility to go camping. Maybe split the load as much as possible over front and back wheels. Stuff sack with clothes under the handlebars, tent and sleeping bag on rear rack? Not pretty, but doable, if you don't have/want another bike. I'm building one to solve exactly this problem...

*I take no responsibility for what happens :P

mr spuckler

interesting, i'm about 73kg so with gear i guess you'd be looking at somethign marginally over 80kg. i really don't want to buy a bike for this so will have to wedge it all onto the bike i have somehow!

alexanderomahon

Coronal wrote: »

I've done light tours on my carbon bike the last two years. Captain Havoc has done similar. Last year, we were both under 15 litres of kit, just on rear racks. 32 would be for full camping kit I imagine (and possibly even a bit excessive for that)?

We're both a bit lighter than 83kg and ran 25s; do you have the option to fit 28mm tyres? With credit card touring, all you really need to bring is a spare set of cycling kit, some light off bike clothes and puncture repair stuff. I carried (including the clothes and shoes I wore while cycling) 7 kg last year, and most wheels should take that no bother. This is what my bike looked like:


There were some problems with the stuff sacks rubbing against the wheel unless I was careful, but some cardboard/plastic sides on the rack would sort that right out. Everything got bungee-corded on.

Got a planet x myself and planning to cycle to Birmingham using credit card, so will be doing as you recommend regarding change of gear and light clothes. Could you recommend something to carry my stuff?

Mycroft H

alexanderomahon wrote: »

Got a planet x myself and planning to cycle to Birmingham using credit card, so will be doing as you recommend regarding change of gear and light clothes. Could you recommend something to carry my stuff?

Carradice saddle bag.

Ole Rodrigo

+1 on the carradice . Just make sure your bike matches :pac:

Seaswimmer

BX 19 wrote: »

Carradice saddle bag.

OP here. I was looking at the Carradice superC saddle bag for my trip. I have a Brooks saddle with attachments however I notice one can buy support brackets to further support these saddlebags. Has anyone used one.. with or without support bracket??

Peetrik

Seaswimmer wrote: »

OP here. I was looking at the Carradice superC saddle bag for my trip. I have a Brooks saddle with attachments however I notice one can buy support brackets to further support these saddlebags. Has anyone used one.. with or without support bracket??

I used a Carradice SQR tour doing Dublin-Galway-Dublin on a road bike. Worked fine

Coronal

alexanderomahon wrote: »

Got a planet x myself and planning to cycle to Birmingham using credit card, so will be doing as you recommend regarding change of gear and light clothes. Could you recommend something to carry my stuff?

Not sure what the weight/price of the carradice is, but this coupled with stuff sacks and bungee cord or any trunk bag type thing is also ideal and reasonably cheap. If you do go this route, make sure to get the sides, they're more or less essential.

I tried the in-sy system before, it doesn't seem to work well with my saddle (specialized toupe), but a few people around here have used them with no issues.

Ole Rodrigo

I used the carradice bagman support with a selle rolls and it was fine - once there is enough clearance to the wheel and along the saddle rail.