Bulette

I'm usually a haphazard packer -- I'll wait until the last few hours before a plane or train to get everything together, even for multi-week trips. For an upcoming bike tour, I'm hoping to improve my organization. To do that, I've spread everything out on the bedroom floor and wrote my packing list from that (somewhat of a reversal, but it's what works for me).

Next up is to carry it to the bike and stuff it in various places -- panniers, handlebar bar, gas tank... but before I do, always the looming question: have I missed anything?

headwind15

If his were my list, it would be a little different because everyone is different. You did not say how long you are touring for. Missing (for me)... Earplugs. Forehead light. Clock. sleep aid pills I.E. tryptophyn, Toothbrush, paste, floss. Chamois buttr. sunscreen/block. Eating utensil(s) pen, journal, reading glasses. Spare spoke(s) and spoke key. why bring a lockring tool without spare spoke(s)??? Tire boot. Off the bike footwear that slips on your feet easily when you get in and out of your tent. Nylon "working on bike gloves" Shampoo. Razors. I don't know if you have a beard?? Because I have high hi gene standards, I really like the Pocket Shower, because I sleep better after showering. Stuff I would eliminate... Tighten your cones, ditch the cone wrenches. Hubs really, really rarely become an issue. I have never had a chain issue since 1975, when I started. Ditch the chain breaker/ chain links. Are you going into bear country? do you need a bear canister?? Someone else will likely think of something else.

gauvins

1. You carry a lighter and an Usack. But no kettle/stove/fuel (I assume that you travel stoveless. Yet a spork but a single collapsible mug...)
2. Some kind of first aid.
3, You do not list any soap/toothpaste. Not clear how you deal with toilet (paper vs bidet vs you'll always use public facilities)
4. No smartphone.
5. no sleeping bag liner (obviously a matter of personal preference - liner reduces sleeping bag washing intervals).
6. no towel (for yourself and/or to remove condensation and/or dry your mug after you rinse it)

headwind15

Missing: Sleeping shirt that goes down to your knees. Comb. I take 25 feet of rope to use with the pocket shower, but rope is useful to throw over an eight foot high tree branch and attach a food bag which as I understand it, should be six feet out and six feet up to be out of a bears' range. (if I am in bear country) I tape a sewing needle to my floss box, in case a stitching starts to fail/ come apart. (minimal weight penalty).

indyfabz

Letting people know tour details would go a long way towards getting helpful responses.

Tourist in MSN

Repellant, sunscreen, chain lube, toothbrush, toothpaste, sunglasses, ..., ..., ..., etc.

Bring a small pad of paper and pen or two to keep notes, you can add to your list when you get home on what you wished you had brought. And the pad is for keeping a list of grocery store items you want the next time you have a chance.

Is your cassette tool one like the Unior that does not require a chain whip? Or do you need that too? If you need a chain whip, I wrote up a thread on that several years ago.
https://www.bikeforums.net/touring/8...l#post13982584

Needing a set of cone wrenches on a bike tour is pretty rare, do you really need them?

Instead of typing up a text list like you did for your photo, type up a spreadsheet list for reference on future trips. You can keep records of what you brought on a trip in a spreadsheet so that next time you do a similar trip in similar weather, you can see what you brought last time.

A 20 degree (F) bag, puffy jacket, neck gator, these things suggest you are planning for cold weather. If it is cold and rainy, if you lack rain pants you could have a miserable time. I like a helmet rain cover for that sort of weather too, if you have a disposable shower cap from a motel, that could probably work as a substitute.

I am not going to compare your list against mine, but you have several things I do not bother with but a lof of things that I find are important.

Have a great trip.

Bulette

Spare spoke will be fixed to the chainstay; I broke a chain this season and last, and yes, bear country.


Definitely need a fresh comb. Paracord is in there -- plenty spare for clothesline, tent tie-outs, redundant gear-ties. I almost forgot my 99¢ button kit!


Lighter is an every-day-carry; spork and mug are for picnic and pack lunches (where available) and luxuries like cereal and milk. I do need to grab some travel size soaps and toothpaste before I go!


I do need to find a way to carry some chain lube. The cassette tool is a Unior, so no whip required -- but that thread is full of ideas. The hubs are cup and cone, the consensus seems to be that cup and cone can outlast cartridges if well cared for, so that's what I aim to do. Spreadsheets are so much more detached from the art of packing though! I terribly hate being cold, so the aim was to throw extra insulation at that anxiety. In reality, I don't expect temperatures much below freezing, and then only at night, when I should be comfortably settled in the 20F sleeping bag.

With these ideas in mind, I did my first full shakedown ride (I've been experimenting for weeks, but only ever 'risking' certain pieces of gear). For on-road touring, I was used to having enough extra pannier space to keep organized (as in my first list). Smaller panniers and more distributed pouches meant the idealized organization went just about by the wayside. The ride went well enough, 1,000 feet in about 10 miles of mixed surface. In addition to the base packing list, there was a liter of water in the frame pack and a liter in each pannier. Another 1.5 liters carries nicely in two feedbags.

The goal is to get from Grants, New Mexico to Glacier National Park along the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route, departing starting in about two weeks.




The revised packing list (and new organizational starting point).

Tourist in MSN

If you are removing the puffy coat, you might want to add a down vest. They compress quite small and weigh almost nothing, but under a rain jacket they provide almost as much warmth as a puffy coat. A down vest goes on every one of my trips, but I might have left it out for Florida Keys and Everglades trip where I expected it to never get below 60 F. And I always bring a windbreaker.

If that is a leather saddle, you may want a rain cover for it.

Do you have spare brake pads?

What pump are you bringing?

billridesbikes

First aid kit
Bear spray
Emergency blanket
Doing this solo? Consider renting a satellite phone (in case you break your leg).
Water purifier

alan s 

A way to inflate your tires. I usually carry a pump and a couple CO2 cartridges and inflator chuck.

imi

I didn’t even know that was a thing! 😅

headwind15

Yea, Since 1985, I found that after a long day (or short) in the saddle, the last thing that you want is something wrapped around your crotch. A super long shirt (sometimes I sleep with my leg warmers and wool socks on too) gives you a lot of air underneath, and plenty enough privacy. Super easy at night to get out of your tent for bladder relief. The long shirt is also nice for getting out of (possibly damp) cycling shorts and into looser fitting off the bike shorts, in public without being sighted for indecent exposure. I can't imagine anything nicer. (honestly)

Tourist in MSN

If you are going tubeless, do you plan to carry spare sealant?

I am clueless on tubeless (I use tubes), but I have heard that tubeless tires on tubeless rims can require much better tire levers or tools with some leverage to get a tire on and off.

Bulette

I'll pick up Bear Spray in southern Colorado, either Salida or Silverthorne; it's not available where I am now, and I didn't want to mess with it on the bus. I'm hoping the Sawyer Mini covers the water filter -- which to add, is another reason I'm hoping to leave "early", before summer: I'm hoping I'll use a little less water per day than the July/August crowd.

I'm really happy with the Blackburn Outpost HV (high volume); it would be rather ungainly on a road bike, but fits nicely with the MTB aesthetic. It is one of the most reliable pumps I've used -- only complaint is that I'd like a flexible hose (to protect the valve stems from abuse), but that's not a big deal if you take your time and pump smoothly.

I'm starting off tubeless, and going to dump in a few extra ounces of sealant just before I go. I have 'bacon strips' to help seal any large holes, but if the tubeless fails, I have two tubes, a patch kit, and two tubes of vulcanizing fluid (I've always found these tubes to be single use, unless doing multiple patches in the same day). If the tires need replacing along the way, I'll probably go back to tubes, just so that I don't have to pay shop-labor to mount the tires. (I mounted my tubeless setup with just a floor pump, but I can't quite imagine doing it with a travel-pump.)

With 2'' tires, I haven't had a problem getting the bead on the rim (actually the opposite, the folding beads are too flexible, and won't sit in the rim until under some pressure); I might imagine road tubeless being more difficult to stretch -- I have had particular difficulty with Continental's TourRides (tubed) on tubeless rims. In any case, I have a "Quik Stik Tire Lever"; it seems it was discontinued, but that lever is the sturdiest I've owned.


Certainly understand the desire for a long shirt, but I think I'll opt out for this trip. Hiking pants (without unders) usually give me enough air, and otherwise, I'm hoping for "privacy by wilderness". If I'm close enough to a town or "resort", I might splurge for the campsite with a shower-house!


As an aside, not just from this thread, but elsewhere: I'm always surprised when people recommend SPOT/InReach/SOS services. I concede that they are very useful and reassuring, but even so, the first SPOT's weren't available until 2004, and then still very niche; it's amazing how quickly technology is adopted in some cases. The technology is still very expensive, and as a subscription service, often has very little resale or reuse value -- I might carry one, if it were free. Until then, close friends and family know how to read the Divide Route map, and they will be expecting check-ins every 2-3 days from major locales: "In Salida, headed for ...."

Thanks again all for the suggestions -- a pair of brake pads, a shift cable and a brake cable made it into the bottom of the panniers.

indyfabz

I would advise them not to worry if there are some delays in checking in. Your planned schedule could be disrupted by things like weather, mechanical problems and just not being able to make your planned daily distances.

I have been around here a while and remember an incident involving a young man who was riding across the country. When he didn't check in as expected his mother went full freak out and started threads on BF and on ACA's forum pleading for any information on her missing son. Turned out that his cell battery died and/or he was out of a service area for a while and was fine. In North Dakota, IIRC. He never knew he was "missing."

Bulette

First-hand experience with that -- had service in Yellowstone at Canyon Village, let everyone know I was planning a few days at Tower Junction to get a little further from the crowds, and expected to be without service. Two nights later, another cycle-tourist and I were building a (bit too large) fire -- was panicking when the Rangers came by the site, flashlights and such out; thought for sure it was because of the fire. "Is there a Bulette here? We received a worried call..."

Gave the family a stern reminder that no service means no service. They are all a bit more lax these days, but still attentive!

gauvins

Depends on your circumstances. PLBs are standard issue on boats (required by law in some jurisdictions). On land, I've rarely bothered. Even in areas where there's no cell coverage, you can usually count on traffic if you were to require external assistance. My rule of thumb is to bring a PLB if communication blackouts are expected to be of more than 24 hours, especially if you travel solo.

Bulette

Getting a little off-topic, but ah well.. the ELT's in general aviation are legally mandated as well. While these devices are not cheap either, the cost is mostly baked into the cost of the plane (which is very "not cheap"). In either case, maritime and aviation devices are still bulky and heavy. Comparing with the SPOT/InReach, I'm amazed at just how small technology has gotten.

I'm looking forward to being out of reach from time to time. I'm not sure where my threshold for "needing" a PLB would be, honestly. Backpacking 3+ days out in Alaska -- definitively.

Still appreciating the discussion -- perhaps it will be useful to future readers. In another few decades, I could imagine SPOT devices being handed out with every backcountry camping permit in the Parks (if the device itself wasn't simply regarded as the permit all its own).

mtbikerjohn 

Its already getting hot in New Mexico..my wife was in Albuquerque last week and the temps were already in the mid to upper 80's there...the same time,a friend up in evergreen,Co. got snow..got to love the Rockies!

Kelly I

As you don't like being cold, I think you had better put the puffy jacket back in. We had significant snow in Colorado last night and it's entirely possible it could snow at your elevation while you are here. Did I see long fingered gloves on your list? Warm wool socks? None of those items weigh too much and can really make a difference in your comfort level AND safety level.

A little trick to extend the warmth level of your long fingered gloves is to wear a pair of disposable gloves on top. After a certain amount of time the condensation can be a problem, timing can be tricky.

Also, a Boy Scout leader once told me there are two big things to staying warm at night - change clothes right before going to bed. Even if you don't think your clothes are 'wet', they are from body moisture condensation. His second tip was to cover the carotid artery - even just draping an extra shirt over the neck while sleeping.

Have a great trip!

Kelly

indyfabz

I have used these on the hands for many years. Sometimes under short gloves when full winter gloves would be overkill.

https://shop.olympiagloves.com/produ...ropylene-liner

GhostRider62

Too many issues with the Mini, I'd take the Squeeze.

You are going to freeze on the Divide. Not enough warm clothing.

Your eyeballs are going to get scorched.

Ditch the wind breaker, use your rain jacket. With the saved weight, bring rain pants. Two bricks of power and no rain pants. Wow.

Where is the beener to hand that bear bag? A bear will tear thru it.

Pratt

Lots of good comments about what we would take. When you get back, make a list of everything that comes out of the packs. Then for each item, did you use it? Would you take it again? Then use that list to guide future packing.
Maybe you didn't use the bandaids, but you probably would take them again. The lemon zester? Even if you used it, you might be tempted to leave it home next trip.
Good luck.

Brett A

Not sure if its been mentioned, but a paper map. It's good to know you have it as a backup in case of issues with your electronics. And also, there's just so substitute for paper for surveying the big picture.
I also carry a small note pad and pen. Again, nothing you can't do on your smartphone or whatever, I just like the simplicity.

indyfabz

Good one.

Years ago there was a frequent BF poster who was getting his feet wet with touring. He was also a chef, albeit one who worked for a very large corporation. The first thing he did was buy a tricked out, custom Bilenky bicycle When he was getting ready for his first trip he posted a photo of the spice rack he said he could not do without. The thing must have had vials of 10 different spices. I love to cook on tour and take small vials of salt and pepper and a small baggie of Aleppo peppers and head of fresh garlic, all of which fit inside my nesting pots. But a spice rack (even a relatively small one)? Forget it, especially for really short trips.