Originally Posted by staehpj1

No intention of shaming anyone. We all have different preferences. That said, yes I pack very light and watch every ounce of gear includinng bags. I usually focus on gear, bags, and clothing carried so that is the number I mostly worry about.

For fun I might also add on the bike weight to calculate a total weight, but really I obsess much less about the bike. I have toured mostly on older bikes with no intention of spending a bundle on UL stuff there. I have taken some pains to use light rack systems or choose lighter configurations with components that I have on hand, but have never gone to newer lighter bikes for touring. I have tended to look at each tour as a one time thing so spending a bundle on a new bike just never happened. I did spend for a new bike for my daily MTB rides, but an off road tour would likely still be on my old 1990 rigid Cannondale. On road would also likely be a bike from the previous century (all the road bikes I own are). If I were to splurge a nice carbon fiber gravel bike might be the choice, but I don't know that I'd ride it enough to justify the cost.

Food and water... I carry such a varying amount of water that I do not include it. It varies thru the day and also depending on the situation. Most of the time I can get by resupplying during the day. Once in a while I may need to carry a 24 hour supply (that gets used and diminished over that period). I try to buy most of my food daily and late in the day. At times there is a need to carry more. Off-road tours may be a special case, more like backpacking.

Given all that I have carried 14 pounds of gear with a total bike weight of 40 pounds for a coast to coast trip if memory serves on the bike weight. I think my lightest gear weight was 8 pounds. BTW, racks (if any) and a little tool wedge including a few tools and repair stuff I include in bike weight rather than gear weight since the racks are bolted on and the tools since they live on the bike all the time tour or not.

I have always found my choices comfortable enough, but have gone with slightly more weight splurge in my current gear by going with either a larger tarp or a tarp tent style tent rather than the bivy. Not sure which I will use on my next tour. It will be a half pound of extra weight either way and probably a concession to my advanced age (73 in June).