4 day mini tour - carrying stuff

mr_poll

I am planning on doing a 4 day tour, about 110 miles per day. I will be staying in B&B/hostels so dont need tents and stuff.

My bike won't take panniers and when I commute I usually have a smallish rucksack. Could I get away with a rucksack on this, my first tour, or shop I buy a seatpost support for a small bag? I have read that rucksacks throw your balance off and panniers/post bags are the preferred option but wanted to get an opinion from those that know.

iPete

Pretty much answered in this thread..

http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtop ... t=12785664

iPete wrote:

Do NOT try and ride that long with a back pack, a horrendous thought!

Whilst I did ride my Allez Sport to Rome fully loaded (@80 miles a day average), I'm not sure the same set-up is suitable for your mission.

You could get a rack on your Allez but I don't think the Comp has any mounting points so you'd need a M:Part seat post clamp and QR adapter or P-clips for the bottoms.


Here is my Allez today, set up for speed on my commute:


For a light weight LEJOG with speed in mind, I think you could do it with the above Ortlieb large saddle bag, Topeak tri bag and a handle bar bag.

Pigtail

I did 190 ish miles in two days with a backpack. I made very little (try no) effort to keep the weight down and probably carried about 8kg. It wasn't a good idea. I had bruising from the straps and found the second day quite uncomfortable.

Next time I'll be better prepared!

mr_poll

Planning to travel very light but sounds like a seatpost pannier is the way forward.

andymiller

You'll be fine with a backpack (or at least a decent one that fits properly). Obviously take the minimum. After all long-distance hikers and lots of MTBers carry similar loads all day without ill-effects.

I don't think seatpost panniers are the way forward (I bought one tried it and eBayed it). Although for a light load tey will work OK. If you are put off riding with a backpack then a saddle bag is probably a better bet (or even a bar bag).

But, if you are planning to ride those sorts of distances for 4 dayss straight you must be riding 100 miles or so on day/training rides on a reasonably regular basis -
so why not take a backpack on your next big day ride?

PieterM

This is what a Swedish guy carries whilst cycling over 150km per day through the Alps for weeks in a row. He uses a very small bagpack:
http://cycloclimbing.com/packlista2007.pdf

mz__jo

It all depends on the bike. If you have a reasonably upright position (like an mtb) then a small rucksack is feasible (even though I would not choose to use one). If you have a full race position with the body horizontal then it must be a pain carrying gear like that. It also depends on the weather; I wouldn't choose a rucksack to do any distance in a heatwave (40° forecast for this afternoon here).
What the Swedish guy in the post above is carrying would also go in a decent sized bar-bag (12-14l).
In the end what you choose is up to you and your preferences - but test it beforehand.

mr_poll

Thanks for the advice, will be on a road bike in a more "race" posistion - thinking I can travel very very light but despite some differing comments am thinking the rucksack may not be the best idea. Time to look for a saddle post and bag.

Hoopdriver

Seriously, I wouldn't take a backpack on a tour. I have done quite a bit of touring of all sorts, all over the world, and on a trip where you're staying at B&Bs etc and not carrying camping gear, I've found that a good sized saddlebag - I use the 23 litre Carradice Super-C - coupled with a decent bar bag is more than ample. This set up keeps weight off your shoulders, preserves your natural balance on the bike, prevents the sweaty back and that nasty chilly feeling on your spine when you peel the pack off your back. It's altogether a better way of touring.

I use a Bagman support for the saddlebag - the QR expedition model for easy on and off in the evenings. The Bagman supports and stabilizes the saddlebag so you can basically forget it is there. The Bagman support is expensive for what it is -£35 last time I looked - but I found it to be very worthwhile.

I hope this helps.

andymiller

mz__jo wrote:

It all depends on the bike. If you have a reasonably upright position (like an mtb) then a small rucksack is feasible (even though I would not choose to use one). If you have a full race position with the body horizontal then it must be a pain carrying gear like that. It also depends on the weather; I wouldn't choose a rucksack to do any distance in a heatwave (40° forecast for this afternoon here).
What the Swedish guy in the post above is carrying would also go in a decent sized bar-bag (12-14l).
In the end what you choose is up to you and your preferences - but test it beforehand.

Who rides with their body *horizontal*???

Riding in 40 degrees is probably not a good idea whether or not you are wearing a backpack.

mz__jo

andymiller wrote:

mz__jo wrote:

It all depends on the bike. If you have a reasonably upright position (like an mtb) then a small rucksack is feasible (even though I would not choose to use one). If you have a full race position with the body horizontal then it must be a pain carrying gear like that. It also depends on the weather; I wouldn't choose a rucksack to do any distance in a heatwave (40° forecast for this afternoon here).
What the Swedish guy in the post above is carrying would also go in a decent sized bar-bag (12-14l).
In the end what you choose is up to you and your preferences - but test it beforehand.

Who rides with their body *horizontal*???

Riding in 40 degrees is probably not a good idea whether or not you are wearing a backpack.

re riding in high temperatures, if you fix a date for a short tour you can't choose your weather beforehand. When the hotel is at 100+ miles and it's going to be hot the afternoon you don't have a lot of choice in the matter. I agree with you, I have been refusing tio do the Ardechoise for several years because of the probability of high temperatures. For the record I joined in a group sunday and finished later than I wanted. It was probably 30-35 when we finished, before midday. Should probably have gone alone and gained 30mins, I knew what the weather was before starting!

re "horizontal" riding positions I see a lot of people riding race frames with extreme positions and downhill they are quite literally horizontal but my allusion was a bit of extreme poetic licence.

GyatsoLa

I'm not sure what sort of bike you have that won't do panniers - virtually any bike short of a BMX can take panniers - Tubus and oldmanmountain do racks for non-touring bikes.

If you are willing to invest, there are some great custom options for all sorts of different types of bags for lightweight travel - frame bags, handlebar bags, etc. They are a great investment. The Porcelain Rocket in Canada does great ones to order:

http://theporcelainrocket.wordpress.com ... in-rocket/

GyatsoLa

I'm not sure what sort of bike you have that won't do panniers - virtually any bike short of a BMX can take panniers - Tubus and oldmanmountain do racks for non-touring bikes.

If you are willing to invest, there are some great custom options for all sorts of different types of bags for lightweight travel - frame bags, handlebar bags, etc. They are a great investment. The Porcelain Rocket in Canada does great ones to order:

http://theporcelainrocket.wordpress.com ... in-rocket/

dilemna

mr_poll wrote:

Thanks for the advice, will be on a road bike in a more "race" posistion - thinking I can travel very very light but despite some differing comments am thinking the rucksack may not be the best idea. Time to look for a saddle post and bag.

Can't you just get the wife or gf to follow you in the car ?

jc4lab

0I find a decent handlle bar bag holds a lot more than you think .One of these may contribute something to your cycling comfort

the ferry

Well..i've just completed LEJOG in 6.5 days unsupported alone with a small seat post rack and a back pack, feel totally fine. I did stop in hostels and as long as you make it to them you don't need to carry too much. One tip - a cycle shop in the Highlands told me he has seen any number of back wheel failure due to overladen panniers etc...you have been warned!

Hoopdriver

I would imagine the buckled rear wheels your shop owner is describing were racing wheels and probably poorly built ones at that.

If you have a good touring bike with well-built wheels, loaded rear panniers are not going to present a problem. I have done a lot of remote area expedition cycling and in crossing the great Sandy Desert in Australia, for example, in high summer, I had to carry 23 litres of water on the bike just to survive. When you add the weight of my camping gear, food for a few days, clothes, tools and spares etc. the total load would still easily have been 80 pounds - more than 50 of that in water weight alone. And I was travelling pretty light under the circumstances. The wheels held out all right.

That said, the discussion was about travelling light. A bar bag and a saddlebag (in my case Carradice Super-C and Bagman QR support) should be ample if you are using B&Bs. I myself have done JOGLE that way, and Lôn Las Cymru, Hadrians Wall and C2C.

andymiller

mz__jo wrote:

andymiller wrote:

re riding in high temperatures, if you fix a date for a short tour you can't choose your weather beforehand. When the hotel is at 100+ miles and it's going to be hot the afternoon you don't have a lot of choice in the matter. I agree with you, I have been refusing tio do the Ardechoise for several years because of the probability of high temperatures. For the record I joined in a group sunday and finished later than I wanted. It was probably 30-35 when we finished, before midday. Should probably have gone alone and gained 30mins, I knew what the weather was before starting!

re "horizontal" riding positions I see a lot of people riding race frames with extreme positions and downhill they are quite literally horizontal but my allusion was a bit of extreme poetic licence.

I'm in Umbria at the moment and the government have been issuing health warnings and and the maximum teperatures are 'only' in the low thirties. I really struggled this afternoon. As a general comment, heat stress and heat exhaustion are real issues, if the temperature is that hot you get up early (it's light at 5am) and you do what you can before midday (or two-ish if you have to). And then find somewhere shady. If you need to, continue continue in the evening when it's cooler. If you are planning to go somewhere that gets very hot then a) have a bailout option b) don't set unrealistic targets c) carry a set of lights.

If you are riding with your body horizontal how do you see where you are going (at least without developing a massive pain in the neck)? 30 degrees possibly for time-trialists using aero/triathlon bars.

One thing I should have said in my initial post is that, all other things being equal, carrying the load on the bike is going to be more comfortable than carrying it on you. But for some reason some cyclists seem to get all melodramatic about backpacks: riding with a backpack is perfectly feasible (I've been doing it for thousands and thousands of miles).

mr_poll

Some great thoughts here but also conflicting opinion.

For info - the plan is too cycle in Sep in the UK so I am thinking the heat issue will not be an issue at all.

I am not going to carrying too much gear as my first "tour" I wanted to keep it fairly easy. Think a change of cycling gear and one set of clothes for the evenings, just a t-shirt some lightweight pants. Some of the small travel toiletries and a towel (you shouldnt go anywhere in the universe without a towel).
The rest of my cycling gear I normally carry when on a run out now (multi tool, pump, tubes etc).

mz__jo

Andy I agree with you. Only I am living in a country where the tradition is to take pleasure inriding on molten tarmac! I used to give up cycling and use just the motorbike from may to september. I think midday is too late for avoiding the heat - 10h30 is closer to the mark (which still gives 4-5 hours riding if your family organisation allows it).

bigjim

I would not use a rucksack just because of the lack of comfort. 4 days? easily do it with a saddlebag. rack or support not needed. a carradice bag is designed to be supported by the saddle unless your saddle is low and near the rear wheel. I can use a Carradice bag on any saddle, you can just strap it round the saddle frame. You don't need a Brooks saddle.

blackpoolkev

I rode the 'Way of the Roses' coast to coast route(190 miles from Blackpool) in a day and a half.I used a Deuter Speedlite 20 rucksack to carry;t-shirt,shorts,flip-flops,camera,wallet,maps,toiletries,food,drink and a D-lock.Bike spares in the seat pack.
I had no problems at all with the rucksack.I suggest that as you already have a rucksack and are used to using it,you should at least give it a try.

lvquestpaddler

I'd make the bike carry ALL the weight directly. Why have any additional weight going down through your crotch doing those distances? You might be fine on day one but on day two+ you may well regret it(believe me, this is experience talking from an ill fated tour of the highlands when I was young and stupid!!)
For lightweight touring such as you're proposing there's no reason for a backpack.... 8)

Twostage

Have a look at the below :-

http://www.axiomgear.com/products/gear/ ... -road-dlx/

They are nice and narrow so don't bulk up your bike, offset to the rear so dont catch your heels and take about two minutes to fit. If you want to travel light just use a bag on one side only.

mr_poll

Love this place half the posts for a rucksack and half against - think I will go with the seatpost rack with a small bag - just need to start putting the plans in place and sort my route - oh and get some training in.