space in panniers

ThatGuyOnABike

i'm really anxious, my first tour coming up in a weeks time and my attemps at packing have led me to become more anxious! i have a little over half a pannier empty! i think i must be missing something but each time i run through the stuff it seems i have everything. my tour is ten day so maybe thats why but still, tell me if you have space and gennerally of your experience packing.

i have alll my sleeping gear plus a tent
all my cooking and eating gear+ washing up stuff
all my toileteries
all first aid
all tools and spare inner tubes
all my cloaths fit in my rack bag
all bottles on frame
locks and cable
papers, money etc in waist bag
misscenalious stuff like torches and a small radio and a pack of cards in my handle bar bag.

o.k so my sleeping bag is ultra compact and i've got micro towels, is that it?? my tent is on the rack my sleeping mat is across the front under my handle bar bag (i created special loops)
the only thing i haven't packed yet is some food like cereal bars and a tin or two but argh i have so much space! i can't accept this espeicially when i see some people with front panniers and bags bulging with stuff. i have space enough for a small sink!!!!
please reassure me or tell what possible thing i'm forgetting??
and like i said tell me how you pack?

tarpaullynn

Well I've never toured before but I hope to one day and I'd say just go for it, don't worry about the space, redistribute your stuff so the bags are equally filled.

If you have forgot something you'll not forget it next time

Sorry, probably not much help I know.

vernonlevy

ThatGuyOnABike wrote:

i'm really anxious, my first tour coming up in a weeks time and my attemps at packing have led me to become more anxious! i have a little over half a pannier empty! i think i must be missing something but each time i run through the stuff it seems i have everything. my tour is ten day so maybe thats why but still, tell me if you have space and gennerally of your experience packing.

i have alll my sleeping gear plus a tent
all my cooking and eating gear+ washing up stuff
all my toileteries
all first aid
all tools and spare inner tubes
all my cloaths fit in my rack bag
all bottles on frame
locks and cable
papers, money etc in waist bag
misscenalious stuff like torches and a small radio and a pack of cards in my handle bar bag.

o.k so my sleeping bag is ultra compact and i've got micro towels, is that it?? my tent is on the rack my sleeping mat is across the front under my handle bar bag (i created special loops)
the only thing i haven't packed yet is some food like cereal bars and a tin or two but argh i have so much space! i can't accept this espeicially when i see some people with front panniers and bags bulging with stuff. i have space enough for a small sink!!!!
please reassure me or tell what possible thing i'm forgetting??
and like i said tell me how you pack?

Buy smaller panniers and eliminate the problem at a stroke

Ambermile

Wot, no beer?

raybo

It is a great thing that you have managed to get all your gear in the bags and have room to spare. Some suggestions:

1) You will need room for food that you will be eating during the day or for that night.

2) Move some of your gear from on your bike into the panniers (it is easier to deal with if it is in a pannier).

3) When you are on the road, things won't pack down quite so neat.

4) Take one less bag.

Ray

Crapaud

ThatGuyOnABike wrote:

... all my cooking and eating gear+ washing up stuff ...

Did you remember a tin-opener? Camera? Maps? And, as Raybo says, you'll need room for food - depending where you're going it's not always possible to buy the day's food on the day.

Don't worry about it, it's space for souvenirs and / or beer.

amaferanga

Presumably you have 2 huge rear panniers, front panniers, rack bag and a bar bag so I'm not surprised you've got space left over! I can carry everything I need for hot climes in two small Ortleib panniers, a rack bag and a mini bar bag. I don't usually carry a stove though, but that'd add only another half pannier.

These folks you see with bulging panniers generally have no idea what the bare essentials are for touring so I wouldn't worry too much about them....

ThatGuyOnABike

i have two huge rear panniers, yes, front no.
thank you all, you have succeeded in reassureing me, espeicially raybo, your bullet points really struck a few chords. i do currently have a few things very neatly packed and they will probably take a 1/3 more space on the road.
as for food i wasn't intending on taking much but maybe since i do have space i will take a bit more, just in case.

These folks you see with bulging panniers generally have no idea what the bare essentials are for touring so I wouldn't worry too much about them....

cheers that is probably true, i'm going with a commando style attitude of taking only the essentials and a decent knife... now where did i put that assualt rifle??

amaferanga

If you've only got rear panniers then you're not doing at all bad

campagman

You seem to have distributed a lot of things around the bike to make room in the panniers which is not so good when you want to park your bike up and leave it. Things strapped to the bike could attract unwanted attention and they are probably easy removed. If you want to take all the stuff off to carry somewhere then it is a lot easier all packed in two panniers.

ThatGuyOnABike

security not an issue, going with a friend

Stuck on a Giant

That sounds fine - we managed to cycle/camp tour in France for 12 days with rear panniers each, one bar bag, and just the rollmats and tent poles (not the tent) on the rack. If you can take less bags great, and I think it's also better to keep weight lower down, so maybe lose the rack bag?

ju5t1n

got more space? - take more clothes!

pneumatic

Or several pairs of shoes and a couple of handbags (one for evenings out). This is what Mrs Pneumatic recommends. She once even tried to sneak in a plastic bag full of coathangers!! :evil:

andrew_s

Evening footwear seems to be the only thing missing, unless it comes under "clothes".

It depends a bit on what your cycling shoes are like for wandering about it in, but it's often much nicer in different footwear, even if the cycling shoes are still dry after the day's riding.
The one time I toured without, I ended up buying a pair of flip-flops mid tour.
Go for something lightweight with a low (squashed) bulk.

ThatGuyOnABike

actually i did just realise the shoe thing a few days ago, that plus the food took more space then i thought, plus small things at last minute have resulted in much less space though i still got some for a souivanir or two, my friend has more space left over but then again he's not carrying the cooking gear.
going tommorrow!!! when i get to france i have to drag myself to a campsite and unpack most of the stuff...