Cycling touring advice

Paddydublin123

Hi all,

Just wondering if anyone has any advice on what cycling gear to bring on a cycling your. I am doing a charity cycle from dublin to Paris.

Any advice much appreciated,

Cheers

Captain Havoc

The less you bring the better, I've done a similar route in the past. Are you going to be alone or as part of a group, do you have back-up and when are you doing it?

Paddydublin123

@captainhavoc - There are 5 of us doing it & we don't have a backup car..
I was thinking of bringing the basics, 2 spare tubes, tool kit, 2 pair of cycling shorts, rain jacket. I am not to sure about bringing a spare tyre or two? I will be using a pannier bag to carry all equipment..

The cycle starts on Tuesday week so hopefully the weather will be a bit warmer !

polariz

Paddydublin123 wrote: »

I was thinking of bringing the basics, 2 spare tubes, tool kit, 2 pair of cycling shorts, rain jacket. I am not to sure about bringing a spare tyre or two? I will be using a pannier bag to carry all equipment..

Add to that some spare patches/glue, 2 or 3 jerseys, maybe some knee/arm warmers and I'd say you're set. If your pannier rack hasn't been tried and tested, no harm throwing in a role of electrical tape or some cable ties for emergency repairs. If your tyres are in decent condition setting off I wouldn't bother bringing spares. The roads will be better where you're going...

Plutonium Kun

Its impossible to say without knowing what type of tour you are doing (easy cruising, fast and light, on road, off road) and how much kit your bike can take and most importantly, whether or not you are camping.

But I'd say in general I'd say don't overdo spare parts and tools on a route like that, you will never be too far from a bike shop. There should be no need for a spare tyre. One set of tools for the five of you should be enough.

You will need something warm for the evenings - after a long days riding, your body temperature can drop very quickly. Avoid fleeces, they take up a lot of room, the best is down (or synthetic equivalent) jackets. Bring a small bottle of liquid detergent to make cleaning clothes in the evening easier. Avoid anything cotton, it takes up too much room and weight, light synthetic clothes are best - except for base layers, wool (merino) if you have it is perfect.

The best way to pack is to get everything you think you might need, along with your panniers, and a kitchen scale in a room. Use stuff sacks to get the volume down as much as possible. Weigh everything individually to give you an idea of the relative value of trade-offs. Just keep experimenting with alternatives, always trying to reduce weight and volume. Remember never set off with panniers stuffed to the maximum as you will need room for food.

Paddydublin123

@polariz cheers, yep I think the roads will be better over there..patches are a good idea!

@plutonium kun we will cycling at a steady pace & staying in hostels along the way..yep I thought a spare tyre might be too much extra weight. Cheers for the tips..

Plutonium Kun

There are loads of suggested packing lists out there, here are just a few:

http://bicycletouringpro.com/blog/jim-dirlams-complete-bicycle-touring-gear-checklist/

http://travellingtwo.com/resources/lightweight-bike-touring-packing-list

http://www.cyclotouring.org/misc/passbagger/packlist/index.htm

http://www.whileoutriding.com/bikepacking/leanified-ogre-ecuador

and a whole list of lists here:

http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/categories/?o=1&category_id=212&doctype=journal