Cycle tour tips and tricks

daviddd

Haven't seen this thread for a while on here, please post your T&T's without lots of related comments please guys, so that it'll be easy for folk to scroll down and actually see the facts.

I'll start off with a tip I picked up for keeping the fully-laden tourer upright and stable on a centre-stand by fastening a shortened leather belt around front wheel and frame. Also acts to prevent spontaneous theft. (Could use a velcro strap instead)

Next....?

pneumatic

A few food-related ones:

Take porage oats everywhere; they can save your life (provided you have a stove)

When packing panniers prior to departure, remember to leave space for the daily shop.

Eat prior to entering any supermarket (especially French ones) to prevent binge shopping.

Keep two short straps handy for fastening baguettes to your crossbar.

When touring with others, make a good "separation plan" (e.g. never take a turn-off without making sure everyone has seen you do it; go back to the last junction where you were all together, meet at the first bar in the next town (nb. this one is dangerous - I once "had" to have six beers in a bar in Spain whilst waiting for a friend who was similarly ensconced in another bar!)

And one more:

If you have the map, NEVER admit to your fellow tourers that you are lost / taking a long-cut. It just upsets them. Much better that they find out afterwards, preferably when you are home again!

julk

Take waterproof matches for lighting your stove.

Especially useful in a British summer.

mamos

Another food one

I always carry complan shakes with me. They are like a complete meat in a shake and you only have to add water http://www.complanfoods.com/shake/index.htm

mamos

daviddd

my gran used to survive on Complan when she couldn't eat anything else! Can't be bad then.....

alfablue

for emergency food I have taken ziplock bags with ready-brek premixed with powdered milk, just add water and heat...okay, not the tastiest but it has got me through a few scrapes when I'm miles away from civilisation. For an extra treat (?!?) you can also add some drinking chocolate or cocoa powder and sugar to the mix :?

alfablue

I always take a few "accessory straps" to secure extra items to my rear rack - last trip I used them to bring back my broken wheel (had to buy a replacement on-tour, and needed to make a warranty claim on the broken one).

alfablue

Oh, and of course, I always tour with the ubiquitous cable ties and duck tape - have done all sorts of repairs, such as fixing a broken front mech (it lost the bolt holding the two halves together), and repaired a ripped pannier bag with duck tape.

onbike 1939

Always carry as an emergency food a plastic bag of porridge mixed with brown sugar and dried milk. Just mix with water and eat when far from a food source.
A velcro strap wound around the grips can be used to secure the front brake in the "on" position. This stops the fully loaded bike from rolling forward when parked.
In France do buy a phone card and use this to call home instead of expensive mobile calls.
If you intend to use your mobile then buy an International or French Sim card before you leave home.
Do remember in France, that garages are quite accustomed to helping out with bike repairs which may be handy in an emergency.
There is nothing as useful as having cable clips of various sizes when touring. They can be used for all sorts of emergency repairs.
Carry "Butterfly" clips for closing cuts and wounds. No need for sutures.

bahzob

Of general use including touring. If just done a mucky job and hands covered in oil washing up liquid + sugar/salt makes a great hand cleaner.

ut_och_cykla

Rubber gloves fro washing up with - I kid you not - as an eczema sufferer I couldn't have done all that washing up in cold streams/suds without em - and it gve my travel partner a good guffaw/quiet giggle everytime they came out!

NFMC

Always carry baby wipes. Great for cleaning the bike, claning grazes and cuts and good for wiping the backside as well (sorry to lower the tone).

Heaney

Don't bother with matches, use a flint and steel to light your stove.

daviddd

alfablue wrote:

Oh, and of course, I always tour with the ubiquitous cable ties and duck tape - have done all sorts of repairs, such as fixing a broken front mech (it lost the bolt holding the two halves together), and repaired a ripped pannier bag with duck tape.

yeah, cable ties are awesome, so strong when pulled up tight.

andymiller

- carry a set of lights
- carry some of the grey polythene mailers for posting surplus maps etc home
- make use of poste restante services
- always carry your phone in plastic bag
- if you are a gadget freak try to standardise on AA batteries
- the IGN's GeoRando software and digital mapping is very good value for touring in france
- carry a pump rebuild kit believe me there's nothing worse than a faulty pump.

TimBooth

Ever got dirty hands from field repairs and not been able to clean them (miles from water)?? Go to your nearest Texaco (or similar) and find the diesel pumps. They keep disposable plastic gloves nearby - a handful of those in your bar-bag and you're sorted!

vernonlevy

TimBooth wrote:

Ever got dirty hands from field repairs and not been able to clean them (miles from water)?? Go to your nearest Texaco (or similar) and find the diesel pumps. They keep disposable plastic gloves nearby - a handful of those in your bar-bag and you're sorted!

They are also available by the boxful for a couple of quid from your local DIY shop. They can be more durable.

ju5t1n

Dental floss - you can sew up torn panniers with it, use it as string, it’s strong enough to use as a washing line, you can even clean your teeth with it.