Touring - BOB Tour weight

So you BOB users what does your typical BOB and Equipment weigh when you head out on a self supported tour? Leaving Next Sat and the shake down it was 51#, I also had 47# bike with equipment. I have cut at least 10 off the total maybe more, and hope to lose a few more. I am over 200# so the total weight was less than 1/2 my weight but still.

I can't be of any help about the loaded weight of BOBs, but a 47lbs bike pulling 51lbs, that's a lot. I know I must sound like a broken record, but if you can loose a few of those pounds I think you're tour will be more enjoyable.

Bike 25lbs
Gear, food and water = 24lbs
Me 190lbs

(bike+gear+wood+water)/Me = 49/190 = 0.26

Gear, food and water = 24lbs Full camping gear, bike repair equipment, everything?? I'd love to see your packing list.

I might be on the high side, but on my last tour to Calgary and back...my bike, BOB and gear without full water (I could carry about 5.5L/12 lbs) weighed in at 70kg/145lbs. I should note that I was running front panniers and a rack bag in addition to the BOB.

edit: I weighed in at 70kg, which brought total weight to 140kg/310lbs.

i believe my bob weighed around 60-70lbs loaded, it was heavy as ****. will be weird the first few days, but eventually you get use to it and wont notice it too much, unless your going up hill in which case its like a fat kid on a skateboard holding on to the back of your bike

also i took too much stuff, i bet again i could drop it to 40 or so.

Note that that he also has to worry about the possibility of his tour-mates quietly slipping excess gear, water bottles, roadkill, beer and pretty rocks onto his trailer as well...

Full camping gear, bike repair equipment, everything?? I'd love to see your packing list.

I won't hijack the thread, but if you are interested in my list go here.

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=271722&highlight=20lbs

Go through you list again and see what you really need then go through it again.

I won't hijack the thread, but if you are interested in my list go here.

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=271722&highlight=20lbs

Nun, what kind of front rack is that? Nitto? Can you say where you got it?

Since we are talking about BoB trailers I see they are selling a rack that goes over the rear wheel of the Yak. http://biketrailershop.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=27&products_id=160 I guess the only thing next will be the double decker BoB.

Since we are talking about BoB trailers I see they are selling a rack that goes over the rear wheel of the Yak. http://biketrailershop.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=27&products_id=160 I guess the only thing next will be the double decker BoB.

Panniers on a BOB, that's just insane. Are they trying to break the 100lb limit.

Truman, the front rack is a Nitto Mark rack from Rivendell.

Yea a cut down several things, cloths, tools, and bike cloths. I finally realized it's a bike ride not a camping trip. I'll re-weight it this next week. I think my biggest thing is my sleeping bag at ~4lbs, my fuel which I may not carry so much, and the waterproof bag it all goes in...the rest I'll just have to find lighter equipment as I add to my collection.

Note that that he also has to worry about the possibility of his tour-mates quietly slipping excess gear, water bottles, roadkill, beer and pretty rocks onto his trailer as well... Ok may have to add my CHL, and associated equipment....

the first time I used a bob years ago I got halfway through my tour and ended up mailing about 25 pounds of stuff I never used. Ha

I have no idea what I had in it after that, but it was probably still 30-40 pounds.

Since then I've cut way down and I use panniers for touring. I still have the Bob but rarely use it.

the first time I used a bob years ago I got halfway through my tour and ended up mailing about 25 pounds of stuff I never used. Ha

I have no idea what I had in it after that, but it was probably still 30-40 pounds.

Since then I've cut way down and I use panniers for touring. I still have the Bob but rarely use it.

Trailers are great for towing stuff around town. Sometimes you have stuff that just won't fit on your bike. However, the load carrying capacity that they offer for cargo carrying around town is their biggest drawback for touring, its just so tempting to keep adding stuff.

I laid all my "To Pack:" crap out last night. I don't know the weight, but it's looking pretty good. I'd say 25-30 lbs, not counting water and a few packs of dried food.

It'll all fit in two midsize panniers, a handlebar bag and on my body, with sleeping bag and pad bungeed up on the rack.

I wish I had a front platform rack to put the bag and pad on, but I doubt I could get one ordered in and set up in time - plus I'm afraid it would interfere with the handlebar bag...

I laid all my "To Pack:" crap out last night. I don't know the weight, but it's looking pretty good. I'd say 25-30 lbs, not counting water and a few packs of dried food.

It'll all fit in two midsize panniers, a handlebar bag and on my body, with sleeping bag and pad bungeed up on the rack.

I wish I had a front platform rack to put the bag and pad on, but I doubt I could get one ordered in and set up in time - plus I'm afraid it would interfere with the handlebar bag...

Pretty good weight, it took me a while to reduce my gear weight, the biggest savings coming in the camping gear area. Its easy to drop 5 or 10 lbs by going to a modern bag and an ultralight single walled tent without giving up much, if any, comfort.

Interference of the front rack with a handle bar bag really depends on the size and rigidity
of the bag. I tend to use a Caraddice zipped roll or Junior saddlebag on the bars and have no
trouble as they conform to the stuff sacks underneath. Bags like Arkel, Ortleib etc that are rigid would have to be kept clear of the rack, but the mounting systems for those do tend to put them up
quite high. Then there are the big bags like the Ostrich or the Berthoulds that need a rack for stability.

I have a fairly high-mounted Cannondale barbag with an internal frame - you should send probably me your Nitto so I can see how they'd go together. ;)

I've been scouting deals on gear for awhile for this trip. I got a 3.5 lb bag, a 4.5 lb tent and a 2 lb pad (I decided that sleeping comfort was more important than saving a pound on a closed-cell pad).

In high summer, I have a silnylon tarp that could replace the tent pretty quick. I'm not trying to kill myself saving weight, but I don't want to carry more than makes good sense.

Since I helped veer this thread off-topic, I'll try to drag it back by asking Tate if he's still planning to bring the notebook along?

i believe my bob weighed around 60-70lbs loaded, it was heavy as ****. will be weird the first few days, but eventually you get use to it and wont notice it too much, unless your going up hill in which case its like a fat kid on a skateboard holding on to the back of your bike

also i took too much stuff, i bet again i could drop it to 40 or so.

+1000!!! Yes!! Best description of pulling a BoB I've heard yet!!

Bobs vs. panniers has been discussed a lot on this forum. I tried a Bob for the first time on a tour last summer to see what I thought. I pulled it over three mountain passes. My conclusion was that I prefer panniers, so I'll be going back to them for this summer's tour. After that I hope to know whether my aversion to the Bob was for authentic reasons or not.

I don't have a weight for you. Sorry.

I think the best reason to pull a Bob is to prevent having to buy a new bike - such as when your bike doesn't have eyelets for racks, or isn't strong enough to support panniers. I've also heard that a Bob is preferable to panniers when touring off-road. I'm taking a little mini-tour at the end of the month and pulling my Bob with my mountain bike, so I should have some reactions afterward.

I agree with what the other poster said, that pulling a Bob up a significant grade is where I noticed the weight, and it seemed to be worse than with my panniers. I was referring to it as "the anchor" when I was climbing those passes.

I never had a bit of handling trouble, even braking on the downside of the passes. In fact, when I pulled away after a stop I often found myself checking my rearview mirror to make sure I hadn't forgotten to hitch the trailer. Of course, climbing hills I could never forget it was there.

I didn't like having to bring a different-sized spare tube. I also didn't like the fact that my Bob had a Schrader valve, and my bike had Presta. In the morning when I'd pump up my tires I had to switch the insert in my pump - a small hassle but a hassle nonetheless.

As far as bringing too much crap because you have the capacity to do so, well, I think that if I don't have the self-control to limit what I take then I deserve the consequences.

I did like the fact that I could carry more water and food, because I went through some areas with no services.

I have a fairly high-mounted Cannondale barbag with an internal frame - you should send probably me your Nitto so I can see how they'd go together. ;)

I've been scouting deals on gear for awhile for this trip. I got a 3.5 lb bag, a 4.5 lb tent and a 2 lb pad (I decided that sleeping comfort was more important than saving a pound on a closed-cell pad).

In high summer, I have a silnylon tarp that could replace the tent pretty quick. I'm not trying to kill myself saving weight, but I don't want to carry more than makes good sense.

Since I helped veer this thread off-topic, I'll try to drag it back by asking Tate if he's still planning to bring the notebook along?

I have a 1lb bag, a 1.5 lb tent and a 1.4 lb pad and I'm very comfortable into the 30Fs. Western Mountaineering and Jacks R Better are good sources for light weight bags and quilts, Tarptent is good for tents and thermarest and Big Agnes are good for pads. My gear would not be suitable for winter touring, but I think few of us do that. With the new ultralight camping gear its possible to save a lot of weight and stay comfortable.

i believe my bob weighed around 60-70lbs loaded, it was heavy as ****. will be weird the first few days, but eventually you get use to it and wont notice it too much, unless your going up hill in which case its like a fat kid on a skateboard holding on to the back of your bike


+1000!!! Yes!! Best description of pulling a BoB I've heard yet!!

you sure its not just an engine problem ? (ie being a fat kid?) :p ;)

Since I helped veer this thread off-topic, I'll try to drag it back by asking Tate if he's still planning to bring the notebook along? Haven't found one yet but as I'm in the cage all week I'll be looking...so ????

So my email tells me Dell's selling the Vostro 1000 for $419 right about now...