In message <
[email protected]>, "[Not
Responding]" <
[email protected]> writes
>How do you multi week tourers do it then?
>
Actually, I take pretty much the same for 3 weeks as I do for one.
>Here I am cursing after having spent a couple of hours trying cram all
>my stuff onto my bike. And I'm only away for two nights. Someone else
>is bringing a tent and we're not taking food as we plan to live off
>pubs and cafes.
>
You are obviously taking to much stuff then............
>I thought boats were small to live on but a bike is simply ridiculous.
>My toolkit and spares take up half a pannier, for God's sake.
What on earth are you carrying, a toolkit, a spare tube and a few minor
spares should fit in a small seat pack, or pannier pocket. In mine I
have a multi-tool (good old CoolTool) that has adjustable spanner Allen
keys, chain tool and crank bolt socket on it., small flat head
screwdriver, spoke key, small pair of needle nose pliers, tyre levers,
patches, hand wipes. all firs into a small nylon roll. There's no point
in carrying many spares, esp if the bike is properly maintained I have a
gear/brake cable inners (never used) spare blocks, spare chainlink and
oddments like zip ties, a few choice nuts and bolts, a bit of duct tape,
insulation tape, a bit of nylon cord etc.- it is these latter bits that
are usually most useful
> The
>sleeping bag takes up 90% of the other one. That leaves me with half a
>pannier for for everything else.
sleeping bags can be a pain esp. if you don't have a nice lightweight
compact down one. If it's that bulky bungee it on the rack at the back
(I did my first tour - a month round Ireland with a sleeping bag like
that - as well a kip mat as well.) Though all the rest of your kit
should fit in a pannier anyway.
You really don't need much stuff though, 2 sets of cycling clothes would
be generous (shorts + top) windproof top, tracksters, fleece top,
waterproof. + a change of trousers/top for camp. Small washkit (one of
the modern microfibre packtowels is useful here, both for pack size and
for speed of drying) - a torch - I would take a LED headtorch - light
and compact, penknife, a bit of reading matter, metal/plastic cup/beaker
for drinking wine or whatever. Map, Camera,
--
Chris French, Leeds