Originally Posted by
drlogik
Thanks for the feedback folks.
Not interested in "ultra light" touring, at this point. I'll lose more pounds off my middle section instead of cutting weight off the bike. Off the body doesn't cost a dime.
Not a fan of titanium or carbon so that alone usually keeps costs in control....generally....
Not a fan of Rohloff.
I'll probably opt for a more lightly weighted 4x panniers setup instead of two heavy bags.
Agree with stardognine, I like wide tires so probably 37's minimum..and coupled with a steel frame it's a pretty smooth ride already. My daily exercise bike is a Wabi Special with 30's.
My goal is not break neck speed but take my time and enjoy the ride, nature and people. I like to fly fish and I'm a photo buff also so going to make time for that. That extra gear weight will be spread across the 4x panniers. When I backpack in the wilderness for 3 to 10 days I carry a 70L pack, which includes room for my camera and fishing gear. I go pretty light but that's carrying everything on my back. I figure spreading the weight around 4x panneirs would be best for balance on the bike. I'm all ears if folks think differently though. Remember, I'm a back packer but not a bike tourer so I have a lot to learn.
I'll probably do some "credit card" touring through some areas but will be camping in between.
1. Being a backpacker, you probably already have some relatively lite camping essentials like a tent/sleep system, bag and sleeping pad. Maybe even cooking gear also. That puts you ahead of the curve relative to other newbs. My first unsupported tour, which I took back in '99, was nearly four months. I was a devout roadie who had never camped a day in his life. I ended up riding my touring bike fully loaded only once before I hopped a train out west to start the trip. That's about as green as you can get.
2. If you can deal with the extra weight, I say take the camera and fishing stuff. On the tour mentioned above, I toted a full Mamiya 645 setup with metered view finder, power grip and three lenses, a smaller 35mm and, of course, film for both cameras. (I mailed home exposed rolls and had fresh rolls mailed to me.) Never regretted the extra weight. Of course, I was 34 back then.
3. Four panniers with the tent strapped to the rear rack is the way I like to roll. (See my Avatar.) You can more easily segregate/organize things, and I like the balance it affords. If you are disciplined, which I suspect you are, you won't simply fill the space just because it is there. Never understood that. I think it was the combination of me being a newb and being a cautious person that kept me from maxing out capacity. The camera equipment was a must, but that meant not toting luxuries. I have told this story before, but one woman in our group of 13 started out with a blow dryer and a Sonly Watchman TV. They both got mailed home at the start of the 3rd day.