“Wow! You have a lot of stuff!” There’s a very good chance this will be the first thing someone says to me. Well, I suppose it does look like a lot. Here’s why.
1) I don’t ship seasonal things. Some people send things home they won’t be using for a long time. Winter clothes for example. Or bulky sleeping bags/pads. I just keep the same stuff with me all the time. I ship things home I don’t use but that mostly stopped after the first year.
2) It looks a bit worse than it is. My sleeping bag takes up almost an entire rear pannier. If I switched to a down bag I could make the 2 front panniers normal sized ones (the ones I use on the front are commonly used in the back). If I got rid of my fluffy pillow I could put my tent back in the rear trunk bag and free up some “clutter” in the back.
3) I travel solo almost exclusively. That means I have to carry everything for a fully self supported tour. 2 cyclists on a long tour can share the load and will therefore have to carry less.
4) I carry enough for myself and a little bit for others. I like helping people on the road and even if I know I probably won’t need something I tend to just carry it because someone else might. For example: a spare tire, a spare pump, a spare wrench.
5) I like a change of scenery, especially when it comes to my clothes. If I am staying somewhere for a week I don’t want to look like a bum. I also have a lightweight jacket that could be considered “extra” because my orange rain jacket is a bit flashy for walking around town.
6) I don’t like being bored. I have a laptop, an external drive, an external mouse and usually a big book. The cases to protect the electronic stuff takes up some space.
7) I like to be comfortable. I don’t “need” a pillow but it beats the hell out of a lumpy bunch of clothes. My tent is a 2 man tent because I like the extra space. When I left Florida I had a 3 man tent all the way to Alaska.
Now for the big question, “How much does all this weigh?” As of March 23rd, 2012, I’m riding with 81 lbs (37 kg) of gear. This doesn’t include the weight of the 4 panniers, handlebar bag and the rack pack (12 lbs). It also doesn’t include water or food of which, on average, I carry about 5 lbs. So the grand total is 98 lbs (44.5 kg).
The Bike
Koga Miyata Signature. The history of my experiences with Koga is here.
Bicycle Components
Everything strapped/bolted/clipped to my frame. I’m a little non-standard with the front panniers since I’m using ones intended for use on the rear rack. They hang a little low but I’ve never had a problem with them scraping along the ground or hitting curbs. Since they are 100% waterproof riding through deep water isn’t an issue. The extra space comes in very handy.
Has held up very well under very heavy load. One of the bolts securing the "platform" to the rails extending to the frame broke however it is not critical to overall rack integrity.
06/2010
Front Rack
Tubus Tara rack (front) w/kickstand
No problems so far.
02/2009
Lock
AXA Frame lock
Love this lock! Switched over recently from the heavy plugin chain to the lighter version.
02/2009
Handlebars
Nashbar Trekking ATB/Hybrid
Strong and comfortable.
02/2009
Grips
Ergon GP1 Grips
Long lasting and very comfortable.
02/2009
GPS Mount
RAM Handlebar Mount for Garmin 60CSx
Extremely strong. Tends to shake the GPS off on very rough roads.
02/2009
Mirror
Ortlieb ultralite handlebar mount mirror
Doesn't stick out far enough.
02/2009
Top Tube Bag
Kinesis Top Tube Brevet Bag
Good bag, use it to store my P&S camera. Not waterproof but it does an OK job of keeping things dry.
02/2012
Front Panniers
Ortlieb Bike Packer Plus
This is my 3rd set. The first set had extensive wear after 1 year. The 2nd set had tears on the bottom after 2 years. I keep these panniers mounted on front racks and they are kind of low which results in them hitting the ground/curbs more.
02/2009
Rear Panniers
Ortlieb Backroller Plus
These panniers are well deserving of their reputation. If you avoid rubbing them on abrasive surfaces they'll last forever. They are 100% waterproof.
02/2012
Handlebar Bag
Ortlieb Ultimate 5 Plus
This is the 2nd one I've owned. The first one lasted 3 years. The side mesh pockets fell off and the bag was replaced for free under warranty. It can carry a lot more than the recommended weight and everything stays dry.
02/2012
Handlebar Bag
Camera-InsertCamera-Insert for Ortlieb Ultimate2-5
02/2009
Trunk Bag
Ortlieb RackPack Large
High capacity storage for my tent, spare parts and miscellaneous travel gear.
02/2009
Outer Pocket
Ortlieb Outer Pocket
Have it mounted on rear pannier. Keep all my bike tools in it. Dogs like to bite it but its held up well.
Snapped in half when bike tipped onto it during strong wind.
Camping Gear
High elevation climates and night time temperatures in the desert mean having gear that offers protection from the cold. The second sleeping pad (Big Agnes) was picked up to provide some added space between the cold ground and me. Having the Therm-a-Rest under it also helps to protect against thorns.
I'm loving this tent. I did end up sending it in for repair because the zippers weren't closing but that was mostly because I never cleaned them. The tent is amazing in the rain because the fly offers enough protection to cook/clean without getting wet. The vestibules are more than big enough to store 4 panniers and a trunk bag.
I'm not a big fan of air mattresses because they always get holes, this one being no exception. It is very comfortable for my 6' 3" height and it self inflates rather quickly.
02/2012
Pillow
Thermarest Compressible Pillow, Vermillion, Large
02/2012
Sleeping Pad
Car windshield cover for insulation under air mattress
Trying to save space and the air mattress I still have is more suited to cold weather. I did love this pad though and would get another one in a second.
The stove is one of the most important things I carry and the MSR Dragonfly is one of the best. It can burn white gas, unleaded auto gas, kerosene, diesel and jet fuel–perfect for traveling internationally.
2nd one I've owned. The plunger handle on the 1st one broke after a year. Katadyn, after I begged a little, replaced the handle for free. The pump broke because the cartridge was clogged which would have cost almost as much to replace as a new one... so I just bought a new one.
Maybe it's broken but I can't get it to work after 2 years of hardly ever using it anyway. Left it in Florida.
Clothing
I’m carrying a bit more than usual just because on long tours you tend to take longer breaks. I can’t go around wearing the same shirt for a week. With this gear I can comfortably camp in temperatures down to about -25C (-13F). Riding in sandals hasn’t been a problem even when it’s cold and wet. The waterproof socks and shoe covers keep my toes nice and warm.
Fairly standard things except for maybe the umbrella, expandable baton and hair clippers. The umbrella is great for breaks when there’s no shade. The baton is good for clubbing people over the head that try to rob me. Clippers pay for themselves on long tours.
Tossed in California, didn't use once Ortlieb bag that it attached to was sold
Photography & Electronics
Everything I need for taking pictures, browsing the web, watching movies, updating my web site and keeping things charged. The GPS has been extremely helpful, especially when navigating large cites and in areas where there are lot’s of roads but no signs.
Perfect for travel. Use it for quick wifi access, reading and travel related apps (currency conversion and translations). The camera is horrible in low light.
Sold after 2 years. Great netbook but the hard drive space became an issue and the power receptacle barely accepted the plug so charging was difficult.
I've owned this GPS since 01/2007. It is amazingly durable. It's survived drops, days of rain and thousands of miles of rough roads on my bike. Upgraded to the 62stc after running into issues with it shutting down on bumpy roads.
I really love the door alarm and motion sensor ideas. I have been thinking about how to deal with the problem of bike theft while camping and this should be a great help.
I really love the door alarm and motion sensor ideas. I have been thinking about how to deal with the problem of bike theft while camping and this should be a great help.
whow scott you did an amazing job by putting this list together looks good