Equipment List

Sharable:

  1. 26" and 20" tire (foldable, this is a narrow tire, just for emergency)
  2. 26" and 20" tube
  3. pump, patch kit (new), set of tire tools,
  4. extra chain link, chain link tool, spanner wrench, knife, pliers, allen wrenchs, screwdrivers
  5. extra chain oil
  6. fabric repair kit
  7. maps
  8. guidebook
  9. stove, cook pot set and utensils
  10. fuel bottle (with fuel this time)
  11. lighter
  12. spare spokes for front and back
  13. brake cables
  14. deraileur cables

Personal:

  1. tent
  2. rear pannier, rain covers, plastic bags large enough for contents
  3. front pannier, rain covers, plastic bags large enough for contents
  4. rear view helmet mirror
  5. 3 liter water bag for seat back
  6. 1 bicycle bottle for frame
  7. 4 liter water bladder
  8. sleeping bag
  9. sleeping pad
  10. 1 pants with zip off legs
  11. 2 bicycle shirts
  12. 2 bicycle shorts
  13. 1 nice shirt
  14. 1 T-shirt
  15. shorts/swim suit (?)
  16. 1 rain jacket (waterproof/breathable)
  17. 1 set of rain pants
  18. bicycle shoes
  19. sandles
  20. hat/cap
  21. helmet
  22. helmet cover for rain
  23. 3 pairs socks
  24. 3 undershorts
  25. vest
  26. sunglasses
  27. bike gloves
  28. liner gloves (to fit under your bike gloves for cold mountain passes)
  29. helmet liner for cold days (I'm bald)
  30. arm and leg warmers
  31. towel
  32. small Tupperware bowl with lid
  33. knife, fork, spoon, chopsticks
  34. cup
  35. sunscreen, lip balm, toothbrush, shaving eqmt., bath soap, comb, etc.
  36. small flashlight
  37. personal medicines
  38. backup glasses
  39. shoulder bag or day pack
  40. note pad and pen/pencil
  41. journal
  42. book
  43. pictures from home
  44. camera
  45. credit card
  46. small money purse with chain or cord so you can attach it to your pants
  47. FindMe Spot

Comments

I alter this list to fit my tour but normally I take everything. One must decide on what they want from a tour, and how spartan they want to live during the tour. On my most recent tour in the deserts of the the American West I carried two extra 4 liter water bladders, in addition to my 3 liter seat bladder and my 1 liter bicycle water bottle that fits to my frame. Managing water in the remote desert areas of the American West presents the greatist challenge to cycling. A day of cycling in moderately hot conditions and a dry camp that night and a short ride to the next water source in the morning will take a minimum of 10 liters of water, my maximum capacity was just 2 liters above this minimum.

In Europe I mostly did not camp, except my Trans Med trip on which I camped most nights in Spain, France, Italy, and Greece. I never camped in Croatia or Turkey because indoor lodging was so inexpensive. If I don't expect to camp much then I generally take only a bivy bag, an ultralight sleeping pad and an ultralight sleeping bag. In the US I have mostly camped and faced some extreme conditions. When I expect to camp frequently then I carry a small two person tent for myself, a sleeping pad, and good sleeping bag.

Because I ride a recumbent bike I don't need padded cycling shorts, instead of carry zip off pants and use the shorts for riding. Then, in the evening or for sightseeing I zip on the pant legs enabling me to get into churches or to dress in reasonably respectful attire. I also carry one nice shirt, that I never use for cycling, and carefully protect in a plastic bag. With my clean shirt I can go out to a restaurant, even after camping for a week, and not insult the owner and other guests.

You could save a considerable amount of weight if you don't cook. I have never cooked in Europe, I have almost always cooked on my USA tours. Even if you plan to camp all the time you don't need to cook. It's easy to carry sandwich materials, or if possible eat dinner before finding a camp site. But, sometimes the prospect of cooking a nice warm meal makes the cycling easier during the day. Choose your own choice.

Some of my tours have experienced wide variations in weather, from cold to hot. I now carry in addition to rain pants and jacket, a set of arm warmers and leg warmers. These small items are easy to put on and remove without undressing and can make the world of difference on a cold miserable day. I also carry a helmet liner because I'm bald, protecting my head can save a lot of heat loss. I also carry a vest. A vest has about half the bulk of a garment with sleeves and almost as much warmth.

Recently I've let my fondness of electronic gadgets get out of hand. On Western Desert 2008 tour I carried an iPod, small radio, Spot, digital camera, and laptop, with battery chargers for everything. One of my front panniers contained nothing but electronic gear. What would I leave home next time? Probably the radio and maybe the iPod. I enjoy using my laptop at the ubiquitous WiFi hotspots too much to leave it home (only 2 pounds), and my Spot gives my family and friends a lot of assurance that I'm OK and the chance to follow my progress.

Ultralight Bicycle Touring

On my Pacific Coast tour and my Western Deserts tour I ran into another cyclist into the ultralight touring style. On the Pacific Coast trip I camped with the ultralight tourist and had the chance to compare every detail of his equipment to mine. He carried all his gear in a large trunk rack and a large handle bar bag. He had all the essentials, just smaller and lighter. He had a bag, smaller. He had a rain jacket, smaller. He had a bivy bag instead of a tent. He had a very tiny pot and stove, unbelievably tiny. He had a first aid kit, a multi-took for repairs, and one change of closthes. He had a tiny camera instead of an SLR like mine. It worked, he was happy, and of course much faster than I. He would have been faster regardless of the weight.

When I'm working my way slowly up a long hill I think more fondly of the ultralight option, but when I'm happily typing away on my laptop, keeping up with friends, or reading my big thick book on the history of the Peloponesian Ware (or similar obscure topic) I'm glad I have what I carry. You have to decide for yourself what you want to carry and the lifestyle you want to maintain while on the road. For advice on ultralight touring check out Ultralight Bicycle Touring or Ultralight Cycling. I even found a book on ultralight bicycle camping.

However, my favorite site for ultralight cycling can be found at http://www2.arnes.si/~ikovse/weight.htm, by a very accomplished cyclist who doesn't seem to identify himself at his web site. In a passion for detail, this cyclists even keeps track of the number of times he uses particular items. For example, on his 21 day Himalayan trip he used the flat screwdriver that he keeps in a tool sack exactly twice!