Adventure Cycling Association Forum
Bicycle Travel => General Discussion => Topic started by: New Jawn on August 11, 2021, 12:15:50 pm
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I've never done a long tour before, so this is my first iteration of a packing list for a solo TransAmerica (central route) starting late spring/early summer. If they are available, I hope to use Ortlieb High Viz rear panniers and a 7.5L handlebar bag.
For those who've done a long tour, am I on the right road?
Riding clothes: 2 pair padded underwear, 1 mtn. bike short pants, 2 socks, 2 shirts.
Camp clothes: 1 pair convertible mtn. bike pants, 1 underwear, 1 pair socks, 1 long sleeve tee-shirt.
Inclement weather clothes: rain jacket and pants.
Shelter and sleeping: Tarptent Double Rainbow, Tyvek ground cloth, Western Mountaineering Summerlite bag, Therma-Rest pad, headlamp
Cooking: BIC lighter, Snowpeak Giga stove w/ 220 gram propane cannister, Snowpeak titanium bowl and mug, spork, cutdown scrub pad
Shower kit and meds: travel-size tooth brush and paste, dental floss, travel-size soap and cut-down nylon Japanese scrub cloth, disposable razor, travel-size deodorant stick, PeptoBismol tabs, Advil, Chamois Butt'r packs
Bike repair: 2 thorn-resistant tubes, chain oil, chain break tool, multi-tool, tire irons, zip ties, 2 spokes
Food: Coffee, Emergen-C, powerbars, 2 ramen
Junk drawer: Halt! dog repellant, power pack, paperback book, notepad and ballpoint pen, maps, earbuds, Leatherman multi-tool, cell phone
On the bike: front and rear rechargeable lights, pump, 2 water bottles, orange triangle attached to pannier
Explanations: I tried to pick camp clothes that could also be used for riding. If temps turn cold, raincoat and long-sleeve tee would hopefully be enough. By "food," I mean stuff that I will carry everyday to use if/when I can't find a store/restaurant. For bike repair, I'm thinking only what is necessary to keep me on the road and moving until I can find a bike shop (I have a Surly Disc Trucker, and there is a place on the frame to carry spokes). I plan to camp as much as possible.
I intend to carry the tent, sleeping bag, and pad in a stuff sack bungee'd to the pannier rack.
Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Thanks in advance.
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What gear you bring with you is a highly personal decision. I know people who do an overnight tour with literally 50 pounds of gear. I know others who cross the country with about 15 pounds. It all is a personal give and take. Someone told me something that sort of stuck with me. "If it makes you smile, bring it." By this they meant that if I want to carry a floor pump with me and I don't complain about the weight, bulk, etc., then bring it. If I want to carry the pump but complain about the weight, leave it at home. I know a guy who brings a french coffee press, a little grinder, and an instant thermometer so he can make his perfect cup of coffee a couple of times a day. I personally think he is nuts but he LOVES his coffee, he carries his own gear, he doesn't complain about it, so who am I to tell him to bring it home.
That said, looking at your list, one thing I would ask is how do you plan to do laundry/clean your clothes? If at a laundromat, what will you wear if your camp clothes are dirty as well as your riding clothes. I personally would bring another pair of shorts (maybe a swim short) and another T-shirt. Additionally, you have no shoes listed and I assume you are not doing this barefoot. Do you have cycling shoes and camp shoes and/or shower flops?
The thorn resistant tubes are big and bulky. It is easy to patch a tube in camp. A patch kit and 2 spare regular tubes probably weigh less and have less bulk than 1 thorn resistant tube. If you have good tires, you probably won't have that many flats, less than a handful I would guess.
Lastly, bringing a couple of bungee cords or webbing straps is not a bad idea in case you need to strap something to the packs.
Otherwise, to me, this looks pretty good. Others will say you need to bring a full-sized Park bike repair stand while others say you only need 1 set of clothes and a debit card (with holes punched in it to make it lighter). Take my suggestions with what makes you smile.
Tailwinds, John
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BTW - you can wear rain gear when doing laundry.
One thing I am experimenting with, especially when travelling with my wife, is an 8-port USB charger that plugs into a single outlet. The upside is we can charge everything when we are at a campground, dinner, etc. with a single outlet. We also eliminate a 1/2 dozen wall plugs.
Downside - traveling by myself it is a toss up on weight and a single point of failure. I am frantically ditching weight for my planned TransAm trip next year. The irony is that when I backpack for a weekend I typically carry 10 lbs more then when I hike for a month. Somehow it is easier to justify a few luxuries for a few nights.
You look like you have gotten down to the essentials but may want to do some shakedown rides. I would also add Imodium AD or some anti-diarrhea medication for when disaster strikes.
Here has been my process - I have been doing multiple week long trips over the last month or two to scale BACK down to essentials. I am looking at my smartwatch, which I love, and wondering how it enhances my bike travel experience? Time is supplied by both phone and GPS, heart rate on phone, if I want, along with everything else. One less thing to carry, one less thing to charge, one less thing to forget in a hotel somewhere.
Flashlight? Why, my bike light is brighter and weighs about the same. Jetboil French press has given way back to the coffee filter bags I carry hiking. On a bike that C-Store just down the road sells fresh coffee. I lived for 6 months in the woods with just a spoon and pocket knife, so the fork and knife are again out of my cook kit. Ounces don't seem like much but they quickly become pounds. Also, you are hauling your TOTAL weight uphill, so I plan to jettison 10 pounds of my fat butt.
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Yes, you're on the right road. A lot of people will bring something like crocs for camp, sunscreen and sun sleeves, and a long tour will probably be chilly at some point so something like a fleece shirt or down sweater to wear under the rain jacket and in camp might be a good idea. A light pair of gloves help on a cold rainy day,and a helmet cover or liner cap will probably get used often.
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Also, you are hauling your TOTAL weight uphill, so I plan to jettison 10 pounds of my fat butt.
That is the best advice! I once carried a watermelon back to camp. I am guessing 8-10 pounds. It was a fairly noticeable difference to me. That made me realize that I was carrying probably 2-3 watermelons extra on my body. That made me start to lose weight.
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....and a helmet cover or liner cap will probably get used often.
A cheap lightweight shower cap does wonders. I also use them for seat covers on my leather saddle. That said, you rarely "have" to ride in the rain. Frequently, rain passes by in an hour or less so you just have to keep an eye on the radar and be patient. I would guess less than a handful of times will you be required to don the full rain gear if you do the above.
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My choices are very different, but I don't see why yours wouldn't work. You can adjust as you go if you find you want different, or more or less stuff. Things can be bought and mailed to or from home
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Ear plugs - weighs next to nothing and will help you to ignore the bear, road noise, raccoon, noisy campers, mountain lion, chipmunk, outside your tent. (I have a vivid imagination). (And am a light sleeper).
A watermelon-and-a-half too heavy :(
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Many thanks for reading through my initial packing list and for the helpful comments.
I have Schwalbe Marathon tires. I've never used, and for that matter only heard of last week, thorn-resistant tubes. If they're heavy and stiff, I'll just carry two regular tubes. Or perhaps start with a thorn-resistant set on and two regular spares.
I never thought about carrying a pair of swim trunks, which would be useful for when doing laundry, particularly if I can find a pair that could almost pass for normal short pants.
The multi-port USB thing sounds great. Better to charge devices concurrently than consecutively.
I use racing flats, so I'll have just one pair of shoes. If I've extra room and weight to spare, maybe add a pair of flip flops to wear around camp and in public showers.
Yes, ear plugs. A 2 oz. bottle of gelled alcohol, Imodium tabs, sunglasses, extra pair of regular glasses, and an inflatable pillow added, too. I'm drawing the line at the coffee grinder and espresso machine, though. But on a serious note, I think that I'll be in good shape keeping things somewhat light.
Thanks again. Additional suggestions always welcomed.
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Looks pretty good to me. Several other things come to mind. Take plenty of plastic sacks -grocery store and bread sacks ones work well. That way you always have something to put wet or grungy stuff in. I always have an extra freeze dried meal in the bottom of my panniers for apprpriate use - like when I'm real tired, the weather's lousy or whatever. Not the best eaing but fairly norishing and easy to cook. It'll get you through the night. I find a reariew mirrow indespensible. Add a pairof tweezers to your repairk to remove glass or thorns inbedddd in your tire. Bring extra bolts, screws, nuts, etc. for your bike and gear including for your shoe cleats if you use them. I didn't see sun screen or eye protection mentioned. A single edge razor blade can come inhandy and weighs almost nothing.
Have a great trip.
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I don’t think you have enough warm clothes. You might wake up with ice on your tent. Do you think the rain jacket is enough to make you warm? What about descending Hoosier Pass at 40 MPH in 35 degrees Fahrenheit. Going to be comfortable?
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.... What about descending Hoosier Pass at 40 MPH in 35 degrees Fahrenheit. Going to be comfortable?
I tend to agree but when I was in a similar situation (eastbound Going to the Sun in fog), I stuffed some discarded newspapers under the jacket and that helps tremendously. Better to be prepared but in a pinch, it does work.
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I pack a North Face Thermo-Ball Jacket. I also find that once I stop riding and the sun starts to set I get cold quickly even on a warmer day. I think a lot has to do with dehydration. Once rehydrated and in my tent I tend to be a warm sleeper.
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.... What about descending Hoosier Pass at 40 MPH in 35 degrees Fahrenheit. Going to be comfortable?
I tend to agree but when I was in a similar situation (eastbound Going to the Sun in fog), I stuffed some discarded newspapers under the jacket and that helps tremendously. Better to be prepared but in a pinch, it does work.
Funny. The second time I did GTS I went up and back down the west side. Cold rain on the way up. I was over in a corner swapping some clothes for the descent when a ranger opened the door to what turned out to be sort of a break room. She invited me inside. There was a fire going. Looked over and saw a cardboard box full of newspaper for kindling. She allowed me to help myself. Lined my jersey and leg warmers with paper. Between that and my rain jacket, I was warm enough.
Pro tip for some of you: The ACA maps make great chest insulators for descents. I first tried using one on Loup Loup Pass in WA on the Northern Tier. It was sunny but on the cool side, and I had gotten quite sweaty on the climb. Partially unfolded one of the maps and put it between my chest and jersey. Instant windbreaker.
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I did a TDF tour in 2005 and one of the joys was getting to the summit ahead of the pack (and caravan) and handing newspapers and cardboard to the professional riders for the descent.
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I certainly would trash the thorn resistant tubes, they're very heavy and bulky, no reason for those, just carry 2 standard tubes. If flats worry you then get a pair of Schwalbe Marathon HS440 tires, these tires are virtually flatless, Schwalbe says their flatless but I've never seen a flatless tire, but it should be very rare to get a flat, but you take 2 tubes just in case. You also need a patch kit, so you can repair tubes, and you need a boot patch in the unlikely event you get a large hole in the tire.
Food wise all you say you're carrying is 2 Ramens? That's not food! Or did you not mention all the food you're going to carry?
Taking two spokes is a good idea but rigid spokes requires removing the gear cluster for the rear, I just take a couple of very small bottles (it's how they came) of a fiber spoke called FiberFix Emergency Spoke, because it's a fiber you don't have to remove the gear cluster thus no need to carry a tool to do that.
disposable razor? I just use a Braun M90 AA powered shaver.
Coffee? you didn't say how you are going to cook it, or is it instant? I don't particularly like instant coffee so I carry a GSI Outdoors Ultralight Java Drip maker, and then put coffee I ground from beans into a zip lock bag, it's better tasting coffee than instant. While this drip maker doesn't make fancy coffee but all the fancy makers weigh a lot more and take up a lot more space.
There is also a tent light or a outdoor table lamp that recharges by solar and it inflates and deflates to fit flat inside your pannier, it's the MPowerd Luci Original. I have one of these and I can comfortably read inside my tent with the setting on medium! It charges fast too, but don't get the version that they say you can charge your phone with because you can't, the solar panel is far to small to be effective at doing that, unless you had 8 days of pure sunshine and didn't use the phone in those 8 days!
Speaking of lights, for a flashlight all I take is an odd thing called Nebo Tino, it has a spot light and a work light, it's very slim so it sets flat, it's not rechargeable and it takes AAA bats and those weigh next to nothing.
Otherwise, you're list is very well thought out. My stuff I brought up is simply options to consider, not that my ideas are better than yours, people have different preferences of what they want to carry. I carry a 3 panel solar system so I can charge my phone and bike lights with it, along with a power bank just in case there is no sun, and I can charge the bank with solar. Some people will tell you it's a bad idea to carry solar because it's heavy and besides you're always somewhere near electricity, ok, whatever, but I can be charging something while I'm riding, the solar panel just lays open on my bike rack and it charge up to 2 items at the same time, and what happens if you're not near electricity for several days? They talk about weight yet they will use a generator hub that weighs more than the panels weigh, plus adds a few watts of resistance when you pedal. Anyway you may not need a solar unit, but if you decide you do, don't buy anything more or less than 3 panels system, less and it won't charge your phone up from dead in a day, more and it gets heavy and bulky. I bought a cheap one and it works great.
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In my experience, newspapers might be available on the top of some passes, but not many.
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In my experience, newspapers might be available on the top of some passes, but not many.
Yeah, I don't recall them ever being readily available at the top of passes when on tour. I am certainly not carrying them for the purpose. I do have a wind shirt that weighs a few ounces and at least one light insulation layer is a must even for a summer tour. They are probably lighter and easier to pack than newspaper. Someone mentioned using their ACA maps... I guess in a pinch it is something to remember as a last resort.
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When I go over passes on tour the ACA maps aren’t my last resort, they’re my first resort!
I got them with me anyway, they’re waterproof so they aren’t damaged by it, and they really block the wind. Why would you use anything else?
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...like they said..., though all the recommendations might put the weight at uncomfortable level on the first pass....
I'll second the use of board shorts (swim trunks) with cargo pockets. These are my only off the bike shorts.
I wear them with my usually clean wind vest while doing laundry, which is everything else. The board shorts dry quickly, and usually get "washed" whenever I'm in the water. Debate among some of the motorcyclists I ride with is whether to remove the netting from the shorts.....
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I used a folding solar panel power pack on my trip x country. I bungeed it to the top of my sleeping bag /tent and left it plugged into my rechargeable rear light...a Hot Shot 125. I could also unhook it and charge my cell phone when needed. I considered the charger and tail light to be two of the more important pieces of equipment that I carried. I had no fewer than three drivers stop me and mention that they could see my light well before they noticed the bright yellow jersey.
As for the rest of your list I wholeheartedly agree with the statement......"if it makes you happy then take it". I traveled somewhat heavy and didn't regret it.
......Mike
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Some great advice here from everyone.
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I forgot to mention in my earlier post the solar charger I got was the RavPower 16 watt unit that is waterproof, comes with dual charging cables so you can charge two things at the same time, I made sure it was compatible with my iPhone so you have to read what this units are compatible with. The crazy thing is that it charges up my iPhone in the same length of time it takes the wall outlet to charge it! RavPower is no longer selling this but a similar one is Nekteck 21 watt charger; when I bought mine the RavPower used the most efficient panels that were on the market at that time, Nekteck at that same time did not and thus too longer to charge stuff, not sure if Nekteck has changed that in the last year, but Anker also makes the same system but cost more than Nekteck and I think Anker is using the better more efficient panels, so I think Anker is the old RavPower unit. These things are made in China and they keep dropping stuff from one brand and moving it to a different brand, not sure what that is all about, maybe to avoid paying any warranty claims? The reviews on all three of those brands has been very high so I haven't read about any warranty problems.
With that charger I bought a Anker 10,000 mah slimline power bank because it was cheap at just $13 and it was lightweight, they make better ones then the one that I got but the better ones weigh more. The power bank is useful if the day is dark and very cloudy and you can't get the solar system to charge anything. Like the solar chargers you have to make sure a power bank you choose is compatible with your stuff as well, and make sure the power bank can be charged by your solar charger.
I never thought when I bought my solar charger that it would work as good as it does, I thought it would take a couple of days to charge up the iphone, nope, just a couple of hours, and that prevented me from sending it back, yeah, I tested it first because I was prepared to send it back thinking it would be flop. Like I said before you want to stay with a 3 panel system, more than then 3 and it's gets heavy and bulky, less than 3 and you won't be able to charge up a iPhone in a couple of hours, it could take all day and then some.
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As for the rest of your list I wholeheartedly agree with the statement......"if it makes you happy then take it".
Ahhh..., the philosophy of happiness on a bike...
...of course you'll not know whether something makes you happy or unhappy until you try to carry it up the first hill. Make sure you take your fully loaded bike out for some long days before deciding what you need to take. Although I carry (too many) tools and parts as well as musical instruments, I've met a lot of very happy cyclists carrying next to nothing - usually as they pass me.
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Oh, the battle of weight. Back in the day, on a quest for fast and light for multi-day, van supported, back-to-back century rides for charity, I would spend $100 to save a few ounces. One day riding with a friend who was a bit overweight, he was asking what my bike weighed and I told him I would have to spend another $100 to save so many ounces. He looked over at me and said "You fat F*@7, why don't you just skip a few lunches!"
It is after all the total weight you have to pull up the hill. I have just done a few week long shakedown tours to determine what I can ditch out of my bloated gear kit. I figured 10 pounds from my panniers and another 10 from my well-rounded body would do the trick. I love to have the tools and parts I need for a roadside repair but I do not need to carry an Alien Tool and a set of Allen keys. One spare cable for brake and one for shifter is more than enough, I do not need a pair for each. I had a bike light, a head light, and a flash light, the flash light is gone. My credit card is pretty light. If I want a bear canister I can buy it in bear country and gift it when I leave. Also snacks weigh a ton - we skip lunch and snack all day, but 5 days worth of snacks weighs 10 pounds. Buy as you go and keep an emergency ration of maybe 1 day.
Weigh everything to the ounce and put it into a spreadsheet. Highlight everything over so many ounces, definitely anything over a pound, and think hard about it.
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Trying to eliminate ounces can be frustrating, especially when you find something that weighs say 32 ounces like a tent, but to chop that down to 24 ounces it cost $500 more, so it becomes also a battle of money and ounces, and it is it wise to spend $500 to save 8 ounces or whatever, but that becomes a problem with each ounce you try to save on a particular item the cost slopes up more and more dramatically. Spending $65 an ounce to cut weight is crazy, but people do it. You can spend a small fortune on ultralight camping gear.
I don't carry any spare parts except for two FiberFix spokes, but I have no plans to carry cables when I do my USA touring trip because I will put on brand new cables before I leave, and new cables are good for a very long time. I will carry a multi tool which can fix most things that can go wrong, and a small pair of pliers. I have flashlight called a Nebo Tino, it's super thin so it takes up very little space, I carry my bike lights (front and rear) but those stay on the bikes, but no head lamp. I carry just one spare tube because I'm very confident in fixing tubes so I have no need for 2 tubes, besides if I have to use the spare finding store with tube isn't that much of a problem in America, A spare chain link, but the chain would be a new one before left for a USA tour so chances of using a spare link would be rare but it is light and takes up virtually no space.
The only iffy thing which currently I do take, but tires today are far better than they use to be even must 10 years ago, but that is a spare folding tire, but I'm thinking of ditching it due to tire technology today. The folding tire I take is lightweight tire, only to be used for emergency, sort of like a donut spare found in cars today; what I would do is the rear tire got destroyed is to move the front to the rear and put on the lighter tire on the front. I'm still debating about keeping the spare tire. I have it squashed really flat with rubber bands keeping it squashed, but do I want the extra weight? Do any of you carry a spare tire? I have read from other tourists that they carry a spare tire.
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Never felt the need to carry a spare tire just a bit of duct tape wrapped around a pen. Read several posts where people broke rear shifter cables in the mountains, so to me that 0.5 oz. is worth it. Not losing rear brakes in the mountains for a broken cable, when a spare brake cable is another 0.5 oz., is burden I will carry. Chashing weight can be a very expensive proposition, I agree. There is also the downside of less durability in some cases with lighter gear. Using an item for 7 to 10 days is not the same as using it for 60 to 70 days. Repeated setup and breakdown, inflation and deflation, or being washed every day is more use than some ultralight products are designed for. Reliability and durability have to be considered, along with cost, when trying to save weight.
The other outcome of COVID is that you can buy just about anything online and have it shipped to just about anywhere within a day or so. I have an older tent that I hiked the AT with. It has already been used over 200 camping nights. They have a bicycle specific replacement now with shorter poles that weighs an ounce less, but costs $580 with the foot print. I am taking my old tent and will replace it if it should start to fail.
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Whether or not to take a spare tire is always a close decision. Every time that I have not taken one, I didn’t need one, and every time that I have taken one, I needed it. How’s that for luck?
If you carry a spare, it allows you to not fuss about starting with brand new tires, which allows you to get full value out of your existing tires. My tire failures have always come in the middle of nowhere, which would have otherwise left me hitchhiking. Twice the tire has exploded (failed from the inside), which would have been unrepairable (well, I might have been able to boot it, but not reliably). Twice the tire developed a bulge in the sidewall, which meant that I could have kept riding, but I would have been very nervous coming down every hill. You don’t want that kind of anxiety on a tour. I’ve heard stories from others about bead failures, which is completely unrepairable. Many tire failures are unpredictable.
I now lean towards carrying one, if nothing more than to reduce anxiety. On a long tour, I leave a second spare at home and have it sent to me when I use the first one.
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I guess it is possible to spend a bundle in search of weight savings. It is also possible to go pretty light frugally. I have splurged on a few items, but really don't have all that much invested in the gear that I typically carry. I don't own a speck of cuben fiber or othe high tech shelter tech. My shelter system that I took on my last trip was almost exactly a pound and about $150.
I did splurge on a nice sleeping bag and some expensive dodads here and there, but overall my gear isn't really much more expensive than the average heavy tourist's stuff and is probably cheaper than a lot of folks stuff.
I did my ST on my old 1990 race bike and relatively cheap gear other than a nice sleeping bag and pad. The gear weight was 14#. I could probably start from scratch and assemble a complete setup like that for less than the average entry level touring bike here.
I am not saying there is anything wrong with indulging in nice things if you can afford them. I just hate to see folks get the idea that it is a necessity if they want to go UL. I found it quite possible to get down to an 8# base without resorting to the application of mass amounts of dollars. The thing is that most of the weight can be saved fairly cheaply. It is really only the last little bit that is really expensive and really is it worth it if you are already able to get to 16, or 12. or 8 pounds without breaking the bank? I know that I found that once I got down to a certain point I looked at where I might have cut it a bit close and a little more weight might be worth carrying. For me that meant a few more ounces for a larger tarp.
Also it isn't like folks don't spend a bundle on heavy stuff too. There are functional inexpevsive racks and panniers for heavy touring and there are $$$ ones. I did the Trans America as my first tour with heavy gear and Nashbar stuff ($50 panniers, $20 rack, etc) it all worked fine and all these years later, after a lot of use and having been loaned out, and used for commuting it is all still functional. Same for heavier tents.
Personally I never saw a need to carry a spare tire for a road tour, at least nowhere in the continental US. I am 70 years old and have been a cyclist my whole life and have never had a tire that couldn't be booted well enough to limp to somewhere to get a new one, but barring that I also have never been shy about sticking out a thumb and hitching a ride. In places where cars are rare, most will stop if you are obviously broken down even if you don't stick out a thumb. People I have been with have typically easily hitched a ride to a bike shop even when the nearest one was 100 miles away. They typically got a ride right away. I find that when someone is injured, out of water in the desert, or broken down folks will help. The idea of talking about carrying a spare tire in the same post where spending an extra $500 to get a tent down to 24 ounces kind of boggles my mind unless maybe the rider is using sewups.
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Whether or not to take a spare tire is always a close decision. Every time that I have not taken one, I didn’t need one, and every time that I have taken one, I needed it. How’s that for luck?
Wow! Odds are against that.
I guess I have been lucky. I can say that I have never needed one. OTOH, we may have a different definition of needing one. To me not needing means I have always been able to improvise a fix of some sort and limp to somewhere. I probably wouldn't consider it worth carrying a spare even if once or twice in all of my tours I had needed to hitch a ride to get a tire (I never have). It isn't like there aren't other things you can't carry, but might need.
If you carry a spare, it allows you to not fuss about starting with brand new tires, which allows you to get full value out of your existing tires. My tire failures have always come in the middle of nowhere, which would have otherwise left me hitchhiking. Twice the tire has exploded (failed from the inside), which would have been unrepairable (well, I might have been able to boot it, but not reliably). Twice the tire developed a bulge in the sidewall, which meant that I could have kept riding, but I would have been very nervous coming down every hill. You don’t want that kind of anxiety on a tour. I’ve heard stories from others about bead failures, which is completely unrepairable. Many tire failures are unpredictable.
I now lean towards carrying one, if nothing more than to reduce anxiety. On a long tour, I leave a second spare at home and have it sent to me when I use the first one.
I might have been okay with repairing all of those for long enough to get a spare. I am probably way more cavalier about stuff like that than most. Limping along for 100 miles or a couple hundred miles, to me, is just part of the adventure. Even a bead failure can be ridden on with tape wrapped around the tire and rim. It renders rim brakes on that wheel unuseable though. Not ideal, but I have done it and it got me home (not on tour).
FWIW these days I no longer start tours with new tires. I just replace them along the way as needed. I found the half worn ones never got used.
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I would lean more for taking a spare tire than a spare cable, I've never in 50 years of riding bikes with cables ever broke one in a ride except once, but that bike had a flawed design, it was a late 60's era Puch with internal cable housing and the cable would rub on the steel hole and fray it in about 500 miles, there was no hole protection sleeve on this thing so I wore out cable fast. Other than that one odd bike I never broke a cable. I have had tires get destroyed, but not in a long while, though I came close about 5 years ago with a set of Hutchison tires that the tread cap came off the casing of the tire, but I wasn't far from home so just rode it home like that. That tire only had 150 miles on it when it did that, and Hutchison never responded to my 2 dozen e-mails.
So I think I'll find the lightest folding tire I can get for the money on that touring bike and use it as a emergency backup.
The one thing I did forget, brake pads for disk brakes don't last long like the rim brake pads do, so it might be wise to take an extra set if you're going on a long tripl
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I would lean more for taking a spare tire than a spare cable, I've never in 50 years of riding bikes with cables ever broke one in a ride except once, but that bike had a flawed design, it was a late 60's era Puch with internal cable housing and the cable would rub on the steel hole and fray it in about 500 miles, there was no hole protection sleeve on this thing so I wore out cable fast. Other than that one odd bike I never broke a cable. I have had tires get destroyed, but not in a long while, though I came close about 5 years ago with a set of Hutchison tires that the tread cap came off the casing of the tire, but I wasn't far from home so just rode it home like that. That tire only had 150 miles on it when it did that, and Hutchison never responded to my 2 dozen e-mails.
So I think I'll find the lightest folding tire I can get for the money on that touring bike and use it as a emergency backup.
I guess that is one takeaway from that. Mine would be to take neither spare cable nor spare tire.
Two things about a spare cable to factor in are:
1. That a broken cable will not completely stop you from being able to ride. You will either be limited to braking with only one wheel of only shifting with only front or rear derailleur. In the case of shifting, you can rig it so the one you can't shift is in a gear choice that is most manageable and get by shifting the other. Pretty much anywhere in the US I'd find it inconvenient, but something I could limp along with for a while. Might be walking some climbs for a while, but usually there will be a bike shop in a day or two at most. Sometimes that may require going off route. Worst case there is the possibility of getting one shipped to you. Giving how unlikely the need I can live with the risk.
2. A cable ls pretty light and compact so carrying one isn't much hassle.
The one thing I did forget, brake pads for disk brakes don't last long like the rim brake pads do, so it might be wise to take an extra set if you're going on a long tripl
Really? I never kept close track, but that hasn't been my impression. The only discs I have are on my MTB, but they seem to last fairly well. I have no experience with road discs. but I'd think in a cleaner environment they'd hold up better. It may be that my expectations are low because I don't run hard pads on my rim brakes. I hate the red Kool Stop pads everyone else seems to love. I had trouble with squealing and rim wear with them, and I didn't care much for the braking feel.
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Really? I never kept close track, but that hasn't been my impression. The only discs I have are on my MTB, but they seem to last fairly well. I have no experience with road discs. but I'd think in a cleaner environment they'd hold up better. It may be that my expectations are low because I don't run hard pads on my rim brakes. I hate the red Kool Stop pads everyone else seems to love. I had trouble with squealing and rim wear with them, and I didn't care much for the braking feel.
On average, from a wide source on the internet, road disk brake pads last between 500 to 700 miles using standard pads and not metallic, you can get more miles, to between 1,000 to 1,200 miles on metallic pads BUT the rotors wear out faster then. The average for rim brake pads is between 8,000 to 10,000, but I use KoolStop Salmon pads and those last into the 15,000 to 18,000 mile range and they're a lot cheaper to replace than disk brake pads. Some argue about rims wearing out with rim brakes, I don't know about that, my rims last an average of 40,000 miles. Rotors will last about 12,000 to 15,000 miles if you use resin pads, metallic will grind down the rotors in half that time. PLEASE NOTE, those are averages, some people have I've read got twice the mileage out of their pads and rotors, others got less than half the average, those mileage figures have a lot of variables, like the persons weight, if they carrying a loaded bike, if they ride in really wet weather or really dry weather, are they descending a lot of mountain roads, etc.
Now if you ride in a lot rain then disk brake pads wear out alarmingly fast, I've read people only getting as little as 150 miles out of a set a pads in that kind of environment, but a lot of rain brings down the pad life by half according to what I've read. The same is true with rim brake pads, about half life expectancy, and rims can wear out in 20,000 miles in wet and dirty crap.
Aluminum rims are cheap to buy, but I once did the math between buying rim pads and rims vs disk brake rims and rotors and the rim brakes came out of ahead by a lot. I'm not slamming disk brakes, I have a bike with them, just explaining something to be aware of when touring you should carry a spare set of pads, if you don't and wait of the brakes to squeal then ride somewhere to get a set of pads you might discover you now need rotors as well. It's a lot like car disk brakes, you want to replace the pads early enough so they don't damage the rotors from metal to metal contact.
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Those numbers don't jive with my impression of my personal experience. I have generally gotten less from rim brake pads. I know from long tours that them being completely shot at 4000 miles isn't unusual for me. i think maybe I am doing a litlle better these days with a much lighter load, but don't have actual numbers for that.
My best guess on the disc pad mileage numbers on my MTB are that they are worse than on the rim brakes on the road, but way better than the numbers you mention and that is with the lion's share being on dirt in all weather.
You have me convinced enough that I might carry a set of pads if I do buy that disc equipped gravel bike and tour with it. At the very least I'll keep a close eye on them and be ready to buy some before they are shot. Maybe just haing some at home ready to be mailed to me via general delivery might be a middle ground.
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https://prodifycycling.com/bike-disc-brake-guide/#:~:text=You%20can%20generally%20expect%20to,terrain%2C%20and%20your%20braking%20habits.
https://bicycles.stackexchange.com/questions/8891/how-long-should-mtb-disc-brake-pads-last
https://www.roadbikereview.com/threads/how-long-do-shimano-hydraulic-road-disc-pads-last.333736/
The list goes on and on about how long disk pads will last, so you can see I didn't just grab numbers out of thin air.
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The list goes on and on about how long disk pads will last, so you can see I didn't just grab numbers out of thin air.
I didn't say you did. On the other hand, I did a little googling and it is easy to find numbers all over the place. Along with plenty of folks reporting very short mileage there are a fair number of folks that report 2000-3000 miles on sintered pads and a few outliers reporting much more. I tried to look at when I purchased pads and at my riding logs and I think I align fairly well with that 2-3k group with lots of sandy and muddy riding.
From the commuting forum:
https://www.bikeforums.net/commuting/930168-lifespan-disc-brake-pads.html
BTW, I much prefer the braking feel of hydro discs and also would much rather have rims last forever and bolt on a new rotor once in a while.
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I'm not sure why those numbers are all over the place either, some as short as 100 miles and some as long as 3,000 miles, why? I don't have a clue. But if you're doing a cross country tour you might want a spare set of pads. I know with rim brake pads, in particular the KoolStop Salmon pads would easily last an entire tour across whatever continent, those are the only pads I use, and they'll last at least 15,000 mile range, but I had a pair of Shimano black pads and I only go 8,000 out of them, but the real thing I didn't like about the Shimano pads was that they didn't work well when things got wet whereas the KoolStops were far superior in rain. Fortunately disk pads don't take up much space at all, and the weight isn't a big deal either.
I wouldn't even start a tour without replacing all wear parts first just to make sure I start out with new stuff, plus make sure it was well lubed of course.
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I wouldn't even start a tour without replacing all wear parts first just to make sure I start out with new stuff, plus make sure it was well lubed of course.
Not me. I used to think that way. The thing is that the bikes I have toured on I tended to only ride when on tour and the parts that were taken off half worn never seemed to get used again. Wasting half the wear in a tire, chain, set of pads, or whatever, just didn't make sense to me. Changing a chain, tires or whatever in the middle of a tour seems like an okay answer to me. Maybe if the tour was only 1-2 weeks and a tire didn't have that much wear left, but I tend to like longer tours. For sure if a tire or part has 1000 left in it and I am starting a coast to coast trip I am not swapping it out before the trip. I can see why others might, but I don't any more.
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I wouldn't even start a tour without replacing all wear parts first just to make sure I start out with new stuff, plus make sure it was well lubed of course.
Not me. I used to think that way. The thing is that the bikes I have toured on I tended to only ride when on tour and the parts that were taken off half worn never seemed to get used again. Wasting half the wear in a tire, chain, set of pads, or whatever, just didn't make sense to me. Changing a chain, tires or whatever in the middle of a tour seems like an okay answer to me. Maybe if the tour was only 1-2 weeks and a tire didn't have that much wear left, but I tend to like longer tours. For sure if a tire or part has 1000 left in it and I am starting a coast to coast trip I am not swapping it out before the trip. I can see why others might, but I don't any more.
Obviously that would depend on how far a person is going, if I , only going a thousand miles will then I agree with you, but if going across the US than I would do all that stuff. As far as the old stuff you can save tires for when you get home and change them out and use the old ones again, or use one of the old ones for an emergency spare, you could use the old pads as your reserve set if needed, Chain would depend on when on what a chain wear checker measured. I just know that I would not want to get half way across the US and now have to hunt for tires because my old pair was half worn before I started, or have to replace a chain and gear cluster half way out, etc. But that's just me, and you have a different opinion, and that's what makes the world go around!
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It’s not an either/or thing.
I don’t generally ride my touring bike much when not touring. So I’m never going to finish wearing out the half-worn parts on my touring bike unless I start my next tour with them. But finding suitable touring tires en route is not usually feasible.
That’s why I start with used parts and bring spares. The spares serve double duty. They are available in case of emergency, but I expect to use them even without an emergency.
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It’s not an either/or thing.
I don’t generally ride my touring bike much when not touring. So I’m never going to finish wearing out the half-worn parts on my touring bike unless I start my next tour with them. But finding suitable touring tires en route is not usually feasible.
That’s why I start with used parts and bring spares. The spares serve double duty. They are available in case of emergency, but I expect to use them even without an emergency.
Well, I can say that I have sort of done that, but not exactly. I didn't start out with spares, but when a tire(s) ws getting close to end of life halfway across the country. I bought a tire(s) preemtively and carried it for the last bit of life for the old one(s).
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I have several bikes, so I don't ride my touring bike all that much either, but I will train with it loaded. The issue is I will be riding this bike for the next 3 years before I retire and can spend 4 or so months on the road touring the USA, by then I would want it overhauled before I go.