bike touring gear

[ausvegguykk]

hey, i am planning a bike tour in january, probably a week or two long and im looking into what gear i need to get, hoping for some suggestions on the following

a sleeping bag (something compact)
some sort of charging equipment for phone & garmin (solar panel? goalzero?)
a shelter ... i have been bidding on some goretex bivvies, also been looking at small tents, but majority of them are too bulky/too heavy or too expensive

any other things? pads, pillows maybe?

cheers

[Flipper Hands]

Where are you going? (Climate)
Where are you staying? (Are you staying in civilisation some nights or totally roughing it)
Whats your budget?
How much space will you have? (pack, panniers, etc.)

Gear prices varies hugely based on performance, weight and size.

To get the ball rolling, with significant compromises, for price etc. I'd look at;
Shelter
SOL Escape Bivy - http://www.surviveoutdoorslonger.com/survive-outdoors-longer-escape-bivvy.html

Mat
Thermarest NEOAIR® XLITE® - http://www.cascadedesigns.com/ie/therm- ... te/product
or
Thermarest PROLITE™ - http://www.cascadedesigns.com/ie/therm-a-rest/mattresses/fast-and-light/prolite/product
Grab a Small and add a cheap CCF pad (cut down) from K-Mart for your legs and to sit on.

Stove
I'd go a canister stove. These are cheap and seem to be pretty well regarded around here. YMMV
BRS-3000T Stove - http://www.ebay.com.au/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2047675.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.H0.XBRS-3000T.TRS0&_nkw=BRS-3000T&_sacat=0
or if you are away from places you can get canisters you could go
White Box Alchohol Stove - http://www.ebay.com.au/sch/i.html?_odkw=whitebox+stove&_osacat=0&_from=R40&_trksid=p2045573.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.H0.XWHITE+BOX+ALCOHOL+STOVE.TRS0&_nkw=WHITE+BOX+ALCOHOL+STOVE&_sacat=0
Or do an internet search for "Cat Can Stove"

Hydration
You probably want some form of hydration setup, too many to choose from here.

Charging
I have one of these
Suaoki 16W Solar Panel Charger High Efficency Dual-Port Portable Foldable Charger with TIR-C Technology - http://www.suaoki.com/product-g_5.html
I use it to keep a Xiomi powerbank topped up during the day, then charge devices overnight. It does an OK job in full sun, I strap it to my pack on long walks, but you really need to be away from civilisation to make it worthwhile for the combined weight.
Xiaomi Mi Power Bank 16000mAh Silver - http://xiaomi-mi.com/powerbanks/xiaomi-mi-power-bank-16000mah-silver/

[ausvegguykk]

I will probably be roughing it the whole trip.
at the moment i have 2 40lt pannier racks, not sure if that will be enough so i might have to buy more... i can also probably lash things directly to the rack

budget... not entirely sure, the bivvy i have been looking at is around $270, and the sleeping bag, i mainly want something that can compress well & perform reasonably

hydration... ATM, i have a 2lt camelback, and 2x 750ml water cages, but might not be enough

i have a wood gasifier stove i bought a while ago, idk,, it might be good enough? haha

i will be going from sydney to adelaide, there is a town approximately half way, and this is the weather data on it

i think alot of the trip is semi arid if i take the most direct route

[RonK]

Your wood gasifier stove will almost certainly be banned if you plan to travel during bush fire season.

[Mark F]

Good luck on the Hay Plains in January. Extreme heat, flies and the wind in your face - at least it is flat, so flat you can see the curvature of the earth.

[ausvegguykk]

sweet, it's flat.

i havent comitted to any route in particular, that is just the most direct route, i might go for a more southern route via bendigo or something instead, though im not sure that will be much better

[paul_gee]

Sydney to Adelaide? Ace trip, ausvegguykk. January, though? Expect some scary temperatures. Or not. Who knows with the weather these days?

I rode the Great Victorian Rail Trail (NE Victoria) and back in February of this year. Most of the time temperatures were in the mid 30°s, with a couple of days of 38°! That said, I carried a 0° sleeping bag and needed it on the 2nd night, when it got down to 7° overnight. Moral of this story - always carry a sleeping bag that's warmer than you think you'll need. I used mine as a duvet or slept on top of it the other nights.

Really, to more helpfully point you in the right direction, we'd need to know a rough budget.

Sleeping Bag

You mentioned you want compact - definately go a down bag. How warm do you go? If you'd prefer a sleeping bag that can be your 'go to' bag for other trips, I'd look at around 0°. That warmth can always be increased by adding thermals, a liner, and so on, down the track. Something like a Sea to Summit (S2S) Trek 2 will set you back ~$300. Alternatively, consider a quilt. There's a lot of quilt aficionados in this forum - I'll let them do the talking on that topic. Benefit of a quilt - they are light and pack down super small.

Sleeping Mat

Therm-a-Rest do a few good'ns. I'm a bias S2S user, though. (Disclaimer: Snowys sell 'em, but we sell Therm-a-Rest too.) I have an S2S Ultralight which I bought for the sake of comfort, compactness, and ultra-lightweightness. Really happy with it. I have the uninsulated version, which is fine for warmer weather stuff, but will be buying its brother, the Ultralight Insulated too. They're priced at ~$115 and ~$135 respectively.

Shelter

Indeed, the humble bivy bag seems to be really popular with the bikepacking brigade due to their compactness. I'm more of a tent guy, though. A little one-person, like a Zempire Mono or Atom, would do the trick. They pack down pretty small and you'll grab one for ~$150-180. I took a DMH Cygnet on my Victorian ride, which was fine. Apart from the 2nd night, I had the fly off it the whole time - I just used the inner for improved airflow in the crappy, hot weather.

Pillow

Stuff sack full of clothes? Rolled up clothes? Or you can grab one of the little S2S, Black Wolf, or Therm-a-Rest pillows. I have a little S2S Aero Premium because that way I don't end up with a crook neck.

Hydration

Your route will dictate your water requirements. If the route you take has you travelling through a number of towns each day, then 3.5L of capacity might be enough. However, if water refill points are few you might need to carry a lot more.

I learnt a lesson on my last trip. I carried 2 x 1L Nalgenes (in my 'wet pannier') and a 750ml Camelbak Podium in a bottle cage*. I dropped and cracked the mouth of one of the Nalgenes. Didn't know, and it proceeded to leak all through my pannier. Segregate your panniers - have one for wet, dirty stuff, and one for dry stuff. Or, as I did, I had two Tioga panniers and used a S2S dry bag as a rack bag.

*I have two cages fitted - I have my Topeak Mini Morph clipped to the underside of my frame - a bad idea, it gets really dirty - and my Tragia fuel bottle in the other cage.

Cooking

So long as it's light and doesn't throw a crazy flame around the place, it comes down to preference I think. (Be mindful of fire bans.) For solo bike touring and hiking I have a Trangia Mini.

Charging Equipment

Can't really add much to this point. I have a little battery pack I received as a gift from a supplier. It charges my iPhone 6 4-5 times which is good as I primarily use my phone for photos, video, and run Strava.

[ausvegguykk]

yep, january >.> i have some friends and we are all meeting in adelaide in january, renting a house and want to be there for the tour down under (cycling event)

30c temperatures dont scare me that much... i spent 4 months cycling in thailand this year, and virtually every day was over 30c, and after the first couple days in that temperature, it felt comfortable

that said, i have to look into how frequent rest stops are, as you said... if there is a stop every 100k for water, 3.5l might be OK in hot weather, otherwise i might need a front pannier or something for a bit more water

[paul_gee]

yep, january >.> i have some friends and we are all meeting in adelaide in january, renting a house and want to be there for the tour down under (cycling event)

30c temperatures dont scare me that much... i spent 4 months cycling in thailand this year, and virtually every day was over 30c, and after the first couple days in that temperature, it felt comfortable

that said, i have to look into how frequent rest stops are, as you said... if there is a stop every 100k for water, 3.5l might be OK in hot weather, otherwise i might need a front pannier or something for a bit more water

Ah, it's a popular pilgrimage, cycling into Adelaide for the TDU. Pop down to the shop and say hi, if you like.

30+° in Thailand is different than 30+° in the Mallee, especially in a thick headwind. Just be careful.

I rode Mansfield to Molesworth, 67km, on a 38° with a soupy northerly headwind buffeting me for half the ride. It was foul.

Rather than a front pannier, consider going the rack bag route. Here's my set up to give you an indication of how I use the Big River dry bag as a rack bag:

[Chev]

An alarm clock to get you up at sparrow's fart so you can do most of your daily distance before the sun gets too high!

Hydration: 3.5L will be enough most of the time, but is a bit borderline for ~100km on a very hot day. I reckon more water capacity is needed (even if it's just a 4L wine bladder or cheap bottles) for occasional use, on those longer stretches and if you want to bush camp overnight between towns.

Stove: You could forgo a stove and work out a no cook menu, combined with coffee and pub meals when you're in towns. Otherwise a little gas canister or metho stove are the obvious options.

Shelter: A tarp plus bug net might be more comfortable than a bivy on hot nights.

[ausvegguykk]

nice paul, yeah thats what i meant by lashing something to the rack
on another forum someone suggested that i could catch a train or fly to melbourne and ride from geelong to adelaide via the great ocean trail

although i am inclined to just ride to melbourne too rather that flying there

how far did you tour with that setup?

[GBW]

A couple of years ago I rode the bike trail from Tallarook to Bonnie Doon and back (200k). I was hoping to get to Mansfield and back but it was stinking hot and windy so by Bonnie Doon I'd had enough and turned back. Now dont laugh at my crazy setup...I use the milk crate to carry my 13 year old Jack Russell in the back when we hit the bike paths around Melbourne. Panniers would be a better option...here's my machine...

[paul_gee]

nice paul, yeah thats what i meant by lashing something to the rack
on another forum someone suggested that i could catch a train or fly to melbourne and ride from geelong to adelaide via the great ocean trail

although i am inclined to just ride to melbourne too rather that flying there

how far did you tour with that setup?

That's an option too. Depends on what you want to get out of the ride, really.

I only rode 280km in February but (1) it was my first 'tour' and (2) it was partially to test out my set up. I was actually going to ride the Great Victorian Rail Trail and return to Melbourne via Eildon, Acheron Way, and the Warburton Rail Trail but the heat was too much and I had a rest day when I made it to Mansfield. It was a rather slow, leisurely trip up the trail and back.

[paul_gee]

A couple of years ago I rode the bike trail from Tallarook to Bonnie Doon and back (200k). I was hoping to get to Mansfield and back but it was stinking hot and windy so by Bonnie Doon I'd had enough and turned back. Now dont laugh at my crazy setup...I use the milk crate to carry my 13 year old Jack Russell in the back when we hit the bike paths around Melbourne. Panniers would be a better option...here's my machine...

IMG_7092.JPG

Nothing wrong with that set up at all.

I really loved the Tallarook > Yea and Bonnie Doon > Mansfield section of the track. But hey, the whole thing was pretty great. Especially that view back from Merton Gap.

[RonK]

Makeshift setups like that may be ok for short trips if only a few hundred km from home.

But they are not very workable when you are contemplating a ride of 1500-2000km one way (depending in route choice) and need to carry camping gear plus a lot of water and food.

Loading all the weight over the back wheel does nothing for the handling of the bike and is likely to induce wheel failure.

I note the op has asked same question in the touring forum on BNA.

The response there has been muted to say the least - experienced tourists who know the region largely advise against touring there in high summer.

This is my touring setup, at Florence Hill, Catlins, New Zealand.

[ausvegguykk]

Yeah, not much response on BNA, someone mentioned catching a train towards Melbourne and doing the great ocean road from geelong to adelaide, although its a little shorter than what i wanted to do, something along those lines might be more practical...

catch a train towards Melbourne, get off and ride the last 1000k or so along the coast might be a good idea

[RonK]

It will still be hot, but perhaps a little cooler than the 40+ temps you are likely to encounter on the inland route.

But then - bushfires came right down to the water at Wye River and closed the Great Ocean Road just last year.

However if you take the coast route you probably won't have to carry so much water. Except for maybe the Salt River stretch through the Coorong NP.

You could also ride to Melbourne on the coastal route or various routes across the Snowy. It may be a bit cooler in alpine regions - I don't really know.

[GBW]

Makeshift setups like that may be ok for short trips if only a few hundred km from home.

But they are not very workable when you are contemplating a ride of 1500-2000km one way (depending in route choice) and need to carry camping gear plus a lot of water and food.

Loading all the weight over the back wheel does nothing for the handling of the bike and is likely to induce wheel failure.

You're right RonK but sometimes you just do with what you got. That $300 bike has carried me many kms over 8 years but I wouldn't attempt taking that setup on any serious adventures. I've seen a few different bike trailers (single and double wheel) and wondered if they are a good option for touring...any advantage/disadvantage over panniers?

[RonK]

You're right RonK but sometimes you just do with what you got. That $300 bike has carried me many kms over 8 years but I wouldn't attempt taking that setup on any serious adventures. I've seen a few different bike trailers (single and double wheel) and wondered if they are a good option for touring...any advantage/disadvantage over panniers?

Some people like trailers but I don't think much of them. Nonetheless they do have their place when extra carrying capacity is required - for example if you want to tour the outback and need to carry large quantities of food and water. Otherwise, they are simply an inconvenience and a temptation to overload.

Bob trailers are fairly popular but there is no question in my mind that the Extrawheel is the trailer of choice.

These days there is a trend to do away with racks panniers and instead use bikepacking bags to travel light and fast, particularly for back roads touring. Much like ultralight backpacking, disciplined packing is required to travel this way - and much of the gear used is identical. I have just finished putting together a bikepacking rig and will use it on my next tour.

[ausvegguykk]

I have used trailers before, not for turing, but i can tell you, they are mainly good for flat rides, up any hill the extra weight will really show itself

i have ordered a bivvy online, maybe someone can suggest a synthetic sleeping bag for under/around $250? i dont want to use down.

[paul_gee]

i have ordered a bivvy online, maybe someone can suggest a synthetic sleeping bag for under/around $250? i dont want to use down.

What bivy did you end up getting?

If you want synthetic, consider:

Sea to Summit Voyager VY3 - Rated to -5°. Packs down to 43L x 23ø cm. Weighs 1.2kg.
One Planet Sac 1 - Rated to -1°. Packs down to I'm unsure, they're light on information online. Weighs 1kg. (I have one from my vegan days - didn't want a bag full of death - and it's been great.)

I highly recommend you go down, though.

[ausvegguykk]

i have ordered a bivvy online, maybe someone can suggest a synthetic sleeping bag for under/around $250? i dont want to use down.

What bivy did you end up getting?

If you want synthetic, consider:

Sea to Summit Voyager VY3 - Rated to -5°. Packs down to 43L x 23ø cm. Weighs 1.2kg.
One Planet Sac 1 - Rated to -1°. Packs down to I'm unsure, they're light on information online. Weighs 1kg. (I have one from my vegan days - didn't want a bag full of death - and it's been great.)

I highly recommend you go down, though.

I got an outdoor research alpine bivvy

as you say, i dont want a bag of death, that's why i want a synthetic one

you say you own a one planet sac? cant estimate how much it packs down? i might send them an email and ask about it anyway, it looks good though, i might go with that, thanks

[Moondog55]

How light do you want to go with the sleeping bag? What temperature comfort wise and is it simply for his trip?

[ausvegguykk]

How light do you want to go with the sleeping bag? What temperature comfort wise and is it simply for his trip?

Not sure, i don't expect it will go under 5-10c for the trip, but others have suggested i get one down to 0c, and i will probably use it again in the future, but not during the winter.

weight? no idea, the lighter, and the more compact, the better

[Moondog55]

weight? no idea, the lighter, and the more compact, the better

I sent you a PM but "Light and compact and synthetic" is a hard bundle to match for 0C
Especially if you are bigger than average like me

[paul_gee]

as you say, i dont want a bag of death, that's why i want a synthetic one

you say you own a one planet sac? cant estimate how much it packs down? i might send them an email and ask about it anyway, it looks good though, i might go with that, thanks

Ah, that makes sense. Good for you!

I can measure 'er when I get home tonight, if you like? I'll reckon I get it down to about 30 x 22⌀ cm.

[simonm]

With regards to synthetic bags you could consider a top quilt, which will be more compact and lighter than an equivalent sleeping bag. A quilt for someone around 180cm and rated to -1c would weigh a bit over 700grams depending on the cut etc. They are not compact though, with a -1c synthetic quilt slightly larger in pack size than a -7c down quilt.

[ausvegguykk]

as you say, i dont want a bag of death, that's why i want a synthetic one

you say you own a one planet sac? cant estimate how much it packs down? i might send them an email and ask about it anyway, it looks good though, i might go with that, thanks

Ah, that makes sense. Good for you!

I can measure 'er when I get home tonight, if you like? I'll reckon I get it down to about 30 x 22⌀ cm.

I contacted them yesterday, they sent me an information sheet saying it's approx 20x29, or about 8 litres if i recall right
does this come with a compression bag? i assume it would?
do you think this or the voyager is more compact?

[paul_gee]

Oh great, as I forgot to measure it! My estimates were almost spot on.

Yes, it does come with a compression sack. Not that synthetic fill compresses much.

The Voyager - I just compressed the hell out of one in the shop and managed to get it down to 27 x 17⌀ cm. So if those dimensions One Planet give are the absolute minimum, then yep, the Voyager is more compact.

For some context - my Sac 1 fits comfortably in the end of a 20L Sea to Summit Big River dry bag which I use as my rack bag. In it there's still enough room for my 'night clothes', couple of pairs of socks, beanie, and gloves.

[awildland]

Some good advice so far, for you to trawl through ausguyveg.

My partner and I rode our bikes from Melbourne to Newcastle last year (via Thredbo) and a few years ago now we rode from Perth to Newcastle. So I may as well add our two cents worth...

- Chev gave some good advice about getting an alarm clock and doing all your riding early to beat the heat. Psychologically good to, when you punch out 80km before morning tea.
- Synthetic sleeping bag sounds fine. The one I used on both trips cost $80, called an Extremelite, nice and compact. With an Ooutdoor Research bivvy bag bought from the USA.
- With two of us (of course) it was easier to share the weight but as you know keeping it light is key when touring. Keep it simple.
- If you aren't going remote you will be able to charge your phone and camera batteries as you travel by begging and borrowing powerpoints (we occasionally offered to pay a few dollars to business owners) Otherwise local libraries are always good, caravan parks, cafes and tourist info centres. We did a 10-day cycle trip two years ago from Coffs Harbour to Newcastle and I only charged my phone twice simply saved battery by turning it off. Used maps and road signs not GPS or google.
- West of Hay is the most desolate piece of road we rode! Just be warned, if the wind is wrong it could be tough. You can read our blog about our Across Australia trip here: https://awildland.blogspot.com.au/2016/ ... coast.html
- I like PaulGee and RonK's set ups. Neat and tidy.

I could go on and on, but those are the things that pop to mind for now. If you want more route detail feel free to email us at awildland@gmail.com

Have fun, cycle touring RULES!!

Chrissy