Touring Advice for First Timers?

charlie250396

Hi all, this summer i plan to do a three day cycle tour around Hay and Herefordshire with a mate. We are both sixteen and will be staying in accommodation instead of camping. Any ideas on the sort of gear we should take, provided that we are only riding with backpacks. Thanks and ATB

nicktheluddite

Take as little as possible - just a change of clothes for the evening & basic washkit. I wouldn't take spare cycling clothes - if it gets wet you can dry it in the evening.

If touring on road, I wouldn't ride all day with a rucksack. I use a drysack (like this http://www.tauntonleisure.com/ortlieb-d ... -22l/p1484) bungied onto the pannier rack and a bar bag.

If you feel like spending a bit more money (I didn't when I was 16) you could get a saddlebag instead of using drybag (these http://www.carradice.co.uk/index.php?pa ... gory_id=13 are expensive but have very good reputation).

holiver

I completed London to Bristol in 2 days yesterday, which was my first proper long distance ride. I did it on a mountain bike with everything (locks, 3 changes of clothes, washkit and tools etc) in my backpack.

I wouldn't do it this way again, as carrying all the extra kilos on my person made it pretty uncomfortable. I would definitely get as much weight as possible off you and get it on the bike instead.

MichaelW

On my first tour using a hire bike, I strapped my small backpack to the rear rack. I believe in touring with what you have.
Travel light. Put everything into a pile on the floor and sort it out into essential, useful to have and nice to have.
Avoid heavy clothes like jeans. You may be able to wash stuff and dry it overnight so consider quick drying kit.
Does accommodation include free towels, soap and shampoo? Dont take big containers of toiletries.
Carry a spare inner tube + puncture repair kit and make sure you know how to use it.
Padded cycling shorts are useful but I've toured without them. Some quick-drying, compact leggings like Ron Hills work well. Cycling mitts (fingerless gloves) are often though of as a luxury, until you take a spill on a gravelly road. I never ride without them.

andymiller

My thoughts:

- lights
- mobile phones
- wet weather jackets
- dry clothes to change into for the evenings. You can ride with wet clothes, but you really don't want to wear them sitting around.

One inner tube and set of tools between you - assuming you all have similar-sized tyres

You should be fine with backpacks but racks are a good idea if you can afford them.

Cotton is heavy and slow to dry. Jeans in particular are best avoided if you can.

If you have the money for new kit I hughly recommend Decathlon and Ground Effect.

priory

poundstretcher(hereford for example ) may have cheap carriers and bungees so any bag will do. A light option is a couple of rubble bags from the hardware store. take spares . a roll is about a pound. you can wear a plastic bag if necessary in the wet and cold. they may also have some cheap, padded undershorts, so you can wear normal shorts over the top.
check out the muddy fox bargain tights.http://www.sportsdirect.com/muddyfox. These nylon clothes dry much faster and are less unpleasant to wear wet than cotton.
But you do not need to spend much money . Whatever you do will be new and fun. There's nobody you need to beat.
do not carry much stuff.

MichaelW

priory wrote:

you can wear a plastic bag if necessary in the wet and cold.

I remember when Farmer's Weekly was full of adds for the latest fertiliser, illustrated by comely lasses wearing the plastic bags and little else. It's a look.

priory

I once spent a memorable day at terra mitica near benidorm . teeming rain all day. the only people who could stand it were the brits, all dressed in BHS and tesco bags . no queues at all , no sunburn or oppressive heat. we spent the day running from ride to ride with the kids

keef66

MichaelW wrote:

priory wrote:

you can wear a plastic bag if necessary in the wet and cold.

I remember when Farmer's Weekly was full of adds for the latest fertiliser, illustrated by comely lasses wearing the plastic bags and little else. It's a look.

If I remember correctly, it was Abertay potato sacks. Shows that advertising works!

priory

wow.
potato farmers seem to have gone off a bit since the 1980's.