How much weight are you carrying on a big tour?

daviddd

When I arrived in Brisbane I thought I'd weigh the gear to see just what a load I was carrying. The 4 panniers weighed 33kg gross, and that with me having reduced the amount of food I was carrying lately too, with a full load of food it would be around 40kg.

Additional to that is weight of water, varying from 2kg to 12kg (only occasionally have I carried 12kg / litres, although this will be more likely in the Top End to come.

Additional to that is the tent, footprint and shade cloth, 3kg, bar bag around 1kg and me at 67kg; the bare bike with racks weighs 18kg.

Thats a grand total of between 124 and 141kg (depending whether minimal / maximum water and food)

How do you compare IN TOTAL? I have probably got most of the steeper hills in Oz out of the way now, so the weight will be less significant. Thank God for the low Rohloff gear ratio I chose, I've not had to push yet, even on 15%+ hills.

I'm not really carrying anything I don't need - minimal clothing, but quite a few tools and spares which weigh quite heavy, stove, pans, 3-season bag, Thermarest mattress and chair, small radio, binoculars, PDA and small keyboard, spare batteries, charger, solar panel, book and maps, water purifier etc.

xilios

My bike is 17kg and equipment is 24kg. Wifes bike is 16kg and she carries 18kg.
No food or water. Complete list on our page.
Like to add were very envious of your tour, looks like a fantastic ride.
If only we had the time

vernonlevy

daviddd wrote:

When I arrived in Brisbane I thought I'd weigh the gear to see just what a load I was carrying. The 4 panniers weighed 33kg gross, and that with me having reduced the amount of food I was carrying lately too, with a full load of food it would be around 40kg.

Additional to that is weight of water, varying from 2kg to 12kg (only occasionally have I carried 12kg / litres, although this will be more likely in the Top End to come.

Additional to that is the tent, footprint and shade cloth, 3kg, bar bag around 1kg and me at 67kg; the bare bike with racks weighs 18kg.

Thats a grand total of between 124 and 141kg (depending whether minimal / maximum water and food)

How do you compare IN TOTAL? I have probably got most of the steeper hills in Oz out of the way now, so the weight will be less significant. Thank God for the low Rohloff gear ratio I chose, I've not had to push yet, even on 15%+ hills.

I'm not really carrying anything I don't need - minimal clothing, but quite a few tools and spares which weigh quite heavy, stove, pans, 3-season bag, Thermarest mattress and chair, small radio, binoculars, PDA and small keyboard, spare batteries, charger, solar panel, book and maps, water purifier etc.

I weigh more than your grand total. I won't bother factoring in the weight of my camping gear

rdaviesb

..and I would need to factor in the weight of the wife as well!

daviddd

.

I weigh more than your grand total. I won't bother factoring in the weight of my camping gear

lol - not enough cycling then V?!

jalapeno

Here in Colombia/Ecuador I started with 14kg of gear (including tent and stove) with my trailer weighing an extra 4kg.

daviddd

jalapeno wrote:

Here in Colombia/Ecuador I started with 14kg of gear (including tent and stove) with my trailer weighing an extra 4kg.

very light J, is that including food and water (surely not)....

jalapeno

daviddd wrote:

jalapeno wrote:

Here in Colombia/Ecuador I started with 14kg of gear (including tent and stove) with my trailer weighing an extra 4kg.

very light J, is that including food and water (surely not)....

No, but then water is available everywhere and food I can get away with just a day's worth, there are villages and stuff everywhere....

daviddd

jalapeno wrote:

daviddd wrote:

jalapeno wrote:

Here in Colombia/Ecuador I started with 14kg of gear (including tent and stove) with my trailer weighing an extra 4kg.

very light J, is that including food and water (surely not)....

No, but then water is available everywhere and food I can get away with just a day's worth, there are villages and stuff everywhere....

OK I see. I note from your blog that you're on a fixed! Must read your website about riding fixed, as it intrigues me how you guys get up hills - I love my low gears!!

jalapeno

daviddd wrote:

jalapeno wrote:

daviddd wrote:

jalapeno wrote:

Here in Colombia/Ecuador I started with 14kg of gear (including tent and stove) with my trailer weighing an extra 4kg.

very light J, is that including food and water (surely not)....

No, but then water is available everywhere and food I can get away with just a day's worth, there are villages and stuff everywhere....

OK I see. I note from your blog that you're on a fixed! Must read your website about riding fixed, as it intrigues me how you guys get up hills - I love my low gears!!

i do ride fixed, but not touring on one! Hills though, just a state of attitude I think on fixed...!

daviddd

phew! that's a relief!

nun

daviddd wrote:

When I arrived in Brisbane I thought I'd weigh the gear to see just what a load I was carrying. The 4 panniers weighed 33kg gross, and that with me having reduced the amount of food I was carrying lately too, with a full load of food it would be around 40kg.

Additional to that is weight of water, varying from 2kg to 12kg (only occasionally have I carried 12kg / litres, although this will be more likely in the Top End to come.

Additional to that is the tent, footprint and shade cloth, 3kg, bar bag around 1kg and me at 67kg; the bare bike with racks weighs 18kg.

Thats a grand total of between 124 and 141kg (depending whether minimal / maximum water and food)

How do you compare IN TOTAL? I have probably got most of the steeper hills in Oz out of the way now, so the weight will be less significant. Thank God for the low Rohloff gear ratio I chose, I've not had to push yet, even on 15%+ hills.

I'm not really carrying anything I don't need - minimal clothing, but quite a few tools and spares which weigh quite heavy, stove, pans, 3-season bag, Thermarest mattress and chair, small radio, binoculars, PDA and small keyboard, spare batteries, charger, solar panel, book and maps, water purifier etc.

I've worked hard to reduce my load

Bike with racks 12kg
Camping Equipment Clothes, bags etc 8kg
water and food 3kg

Total 23kg
This is for a multi week tour on roads



Here's an equipment list

CAMPING
Tent, Contrail
Summer down Sleeping Bag
Big Agnes, Sleeping Pad
Trianga stove and pots
Denatured Alcohol
Ti Spork
BIC Lighter
50' Cord

CLOTHES CARRIED
MTB Shorts
Convertible Long Pants
Wool Long Underwear
Padded cycling Underwear
Wool Short Sleeve T-Shirt
Long Sleeve "Adventure" Shirt
Microporous Rainsuit
2 x Socks
Flip Flops
Gloves
Windshirt
Beanie hat

TOILETRIES
Mounthwash
Razors
Skin Cream
Sunscreen
Microfiber Towel
Shampoo
Toothpaste and Brush
DEET
Dental Floss
Toilet Paper

BIKE STUFF
Bike Cable Lock
Multitool
Leatherman, Juice
2 x Kevlar Spokes
Chain Lube
2 x inner tubes
Pump
2 x Patch Kits
Tire boots
2x Powerlink
Brake cable
Gear cable
Brake Pads
Misc Nuts and Bolts
4x AA batteries
Plastic Bags
Duct tape

MISC
Wallet
Map
notebook and pen
First Aid Kit
Sewing kit
small FM radio
Cell phone/camera and charger

CLOTHERS WORN, NOT INCLUDED IN WEIGHT
Padded Underpants
Long Sleeve T-Shirt
Cycling Knickers
Socks
Cycling Shoes
Helmet
Bandana

BAGS
Carradice saddlebag, small handle bar bag and 2x silnylon compression sacks

vernonlevy

daviddd wrote:

.

I weigh more than your grand total. I won't bother factoring in the weight of my camping gear

lol - not enough cycling then V?!

I get the miles (and pies) in :-)

In the past three years:
1 x LEJOG
1 x JOGLE
1 x Channel to Med
45+ x 100km Audaxes
6 x 200km Audaxes
10+ weekend/mini tours

countered by:
pies, curries, fish and chips, fine ales, pasta, pizza etc.....

petew

On my last trip I was 104kg in total (1.5l water, 600g of gas - a lot more than I needed).
Bike + rack 10kg, I *was* 74kg. Main heavy items were small tent (1kg - though I'd go bigger and heavier next time), self inflating matt (880g) and sleeping bag (1kg) and nice Merrell sandals (800g). I took too many toilettries and a copy of Don Quixote (very heavy).

I don't think I could get below 100kg.

Loaded bike ready to roll -> http://warwick.ac.uk/~strcah/loadedrig.JPG

petew

I should have added that this was for a ~1200km 8 day tour.