Touring on a hybrid

vertigoscene

I'm really keen on doing a few days cycle camping later in the summer, unfortunately my bike is a hybrid with disc brakes.

I've got a specially designed rear pannier rack which works fine, but I'm worried that the bike won't be able to carry sufficient stuff - the rack at the back is thetopeak super tourist which is rated at 25Kgs, but with tent and other stuff I'm starting to think there won't be enough room at the back. I presume that with disc brakes at the front, a front pannier rack is out of the question?

I can't afford to buy another bike, and don't really want to hostel it, so any advice greatly appreciated.

vernonlevy

vertigoscene wrote:

I'm really keen on doing a few days cycle camping later in the summer, unfortunately my bike is a hybrid with disc brakes.

I've got a specially designed rear pannier rack which works fine, but I'm worried that the bike won't be able to carry sufficient stuff - the rack at the back is thetopeak super tourist which is rated at 25Kgs, but with tent and other stuff I'm starting to think there won't be enough room at the back. I presume that with disc brakes at the front, a front pannier rack is out of the question?

I can't afford to buy another bike, and don't really want to hostel it, so any advice greatly appreciated.

Judicious selection of gear should keep the load under 25kg.

andymiller

vertigoscene wrote:

I'm really keen on doing a few days cycle camping later in the summer, unfortunately my bike is a hybrid with disc brakes.

For a few days touring you really shouldn't need more than about 15kgs of luggage - carrying more than that will just make it hard work.

If you really want to carry more then Tubus do an accessory doobry so that (some of) their racks will work with a rear disc brake. Old Man Mountain do something similar.

Or you could get a backpack and carry some luggage on your back.

Or you could even get a trailer....

xilios

No problem wih a hybrid on tour check out our page for info. on our bikes.
As for front racks with disc brakes no experiance there but I think you LBS would be able to help you out. You can also check out (search in) bikeforums.net, I've seen a few posts with the same question.
cheers

blorg

You should be able to keep it light. A handlebar bag is a good option to take a (small) amount off the back although it needs to be kept light or it will affect the steering (more so on a flat bar.)

Just back from two weeks with tent, self-inflating mattresses, two rear panniers and a front bar bag. Total weight was 12kg: 4kg in each pannier, ~2kg in the bar bag and 2kg for the tent. Small bit more (tools, tube, etc) in a saddlebag.

No.1 rule: you probably don't need it, and if you do need it make sure it's lightweight.

alfablue

I agree you should be able to stay under 25kgs, but there are front reacks available that work with discs, such as the Old Man Mountain Sherpa



from Carradice (a bit pricy at £69) or Nitto make a couple of front racks that should work



available from On-One from £29 (if you have v-brake bosses) or £59 if you don't.

another jacko

I'm doing my first cycle camping trip this weekend and did my packing last night. According to the bathroom scales my total load is 13kg. That includes the tent (2.5 kg), camping stove and spare cylinder, tools, spares, locks etc, my own and my wife's sleeping bags and mats, clothing (2 changes), first aid and wash bags. However, we're not taking anything to cook food with beyond being able to make a cup of tea.

I think a bloke would have to try really hard to get anywhere near the 25kg limit of most racks. My wife's load will be between 25 and 40kg depending on how many evening dresses, handbags and pairs of shoes she feels she needs to take...

Having suffered broken spokes on a very lightweight LEJoG trip, using just a 20 litre rackpack and staying in B & Bs, I'm a bit paranoid about carrying too much. Travel light and you'll enjoy the journey more.

ut_och_cykla

another jacko wrote:

SNIP

I think a bloke would have to try really hard to get anywhere near the 25kg limit of most racks. My wife's load will be between 25 and 40kg depending on how many evening dresses, handbags and pairs of shoes she feels she needs to take...
SNIP
No problem getting up to 25kgs for a bloke -doesn't it just depend on how much ego & BS he has to take along

cycladelic

Carradice do a front rack/pannier combination (called Limpet) that is suitable for suspension forks. I am not sure about disc brakes though:


http://www.carradice.co.uk/panniers/lim ... iers.shtml


As other have said - 25kg is quite a lot of gear for just a few days touring in the summer.