Touring - Gearing up for a fixed-gear tour...input?

So, I'm graduating college soon, with absolutely no plans for life....yay me! I need to travel, and so I'm gonna hop on my bike and go. Gonna fly with my bike to europe, and tour the crap out of the place, and see where I go from there.

I am an avid outdoorsman, survivalist, and an ultra-light packer. Fixed gear touring seems perfect for me.

Here's my packing list...

-Sturdy/light shoes (Vibram FiveFingers)
-socks (2x poly biking socks)
-convertable nylon pants
-nylon longsleeve shirt
-nylon short sleeve shirt
-camera (SLR, 2 lenses, 3 batteries, 4x 4gb CF cards)
-bandanna
-small bag
-small tarp (4'x4')
-sleeping bag
-Bivy
-pad?
-nylon rope (p-cord)
-hammock (depending on where I'm going...no trees, no hammock)
-webbing (20')
-rain jacket
-warm hat
-gloves
-under-armor shirt
-under-armor pants
-first aid kit
-pocket knife
-lighter
-matches
-headlamp + batteries
-water filter
-camp stove
-camp pot
-water bottle x 2
-toothbrush/toothpaste
-toilet paper
-ID/CC/cash
-garbage bag x 2
-cell phone (extra battery?)

FOOD:
-cream of rice (2srv/day)
-sugar (3tbsp/day)
-raisins (1grip/day)
-tortillas (2/day)
-moose goo (1/3 tube/day) (a home-made recipe of soy/whey protein, grains, nuts, PB, honey, and dried fruit, and refrigerated into a log...a modification of this: http://www.ultralightbackpacker.com/....html#MooseGoo)
-dried black beans (1/2 cup/day)
-instant rice (1cup/day)
-chicken boullion (1cube/day)
-trail mix

TOOLS:
-15mm wrench
-Bike tool
-tubes x2
-patches
-pump
-tire levers
-bike lock (krypto evo mini + cable)any additions or subtractions?

I got a rack mounted to my IRO MarkV with some p-clamps, and it definetly seems sturdy enough for my gear. I may add another bottle cage, the saddle will change...probably change the bars to drops, and flip the stem too. The rear hub is fixed/fixed, giving me 82/56" for flats/climbs.

http://oregonstate.edu/%7Emoritaty/Bikepics/Tour/IMG_4897.JPG

Here's all my loot:

http://oregonstate.edu/%7Emoritaty/Bikepics/Tour/IMG_4895.JPG

Here's what's missing:
-Camera (taking the shot...)
-tarp
-nylon rope (p-cord)
-matches
-batteries
-toilet paper
-ID/CC/cash
-cell phone

FOOD:
-cream of rice (2srv/day)
-sugar (3tbsp/day)
-raisins (1grip/day)
-tortillas (2/day)
-moose goo (1/3 tube/day) (a home-made recipe of soy/whey protein, grains, nuts, PB, honey, and dried fruit, and refrigerated into a log...a modification of this: http://www.ultralightbackpacker.com/moosegoo.html#MooseGoo)
-dried black beans (1/2 cup/day)
-instant rice (1cup/day)
-chicken boullion (1cube/day)
-trail mix

And here it is all packed up! What I'm wearing, and what I'm packing. Pretty tiny, eh?

http://oregonstate.edu/%7Emoritaty/Bikepics/Tour/IMG_4896.JPG

The food will take up some room....but I DID include a few things that I'll probably not take. The hammock, webbing, and maybe the pad. It's freaking huge....

So, I'll need some panniers to attach that junk to my rack. Any recommendations on panniers that will be waterproof/sturdy/*just* big enough for my loot? Chainstay is 39.1cm...

My only comment is that Europe is a great place, just not for camping. There are so many youth hostels and similar cheap ways to spend the night, and destinations are so close together, that I think you won't be needing the camping equipment at all.

Even if I tried to stick to back-country? Or is it all just too dense?

That would CONSIDERABLY reduce my load...

Maybe a rear brake? Even with 82", you're going to have to scrub a lot of speed if you need to go down any long descents. It would be nice to be able to alternate brakes to keep your rims from getting too hot.

It sounds like you have enough experience backpacking to have the camping gear down pat, but hopefully you've done or are planning to do a short tour or two before taking off for Europe to make sure things like gearing, bicycle fit, and so on are appropriate for you.

A rear brake is a good idea...didn't think about needing to scrub speed.

I just ordered some ortleib back roller panneirs. When they get here, I'll start some shorter touring...

Check out these links for ideas.

http://www2.arnes.si/~ikovse/weight.htm
http://pompinos.blogspot.com/
http://web.archive.org/web/20041211045554/http://www.koopmann.lightup.net/crane/
http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/page/?o=3Tzut&page_id=97930&v=DS

The SLR camera, two lenses, and three batteries would be inconsistent with an ultra-light goal. I'd get a small point-n-shoot with a big memory card for snapshots and save the art photography for another day.

Just about every place in Europe I can think of that's worth traveling through will have potable water. I'd leave the filter at home.

A lighter and matches?

The way you've specified the quantity of each of the foods to be consumed each day leads me to think that's all you're going to eat for most days. Moose goo? I'd load up on toilet paper.

I'd love to be young and strong enough to tour on a 56" low gear, fixed, no less. I predict you'll have a blast (as long as you add a rear brake).

I know the SLR and lenses is heavy, bulky...but yeah. I plan on being around lots of remote, scenic country, and I do love my camera....I'll think about downsizing...

Civilized places in Europe, yes. Backcountry Europe?

matches in case the lighter fails/gets wet/runs outta juice, and I'm cold, hungry, or bored...

If YOU were going to tour fixed, what gearing would you choose? I could swap my chain before I go and have 73"/51"....


yes, that food is what I'm going to eat most days....and yes, I am very regular. :-)

I've done a week in France fixed and few short w/e trips.

Defiantly recommend a rear brake. I only had a very poor front brake when I went to France. I was carrying quite a bit of stuff because I was taking some of my girlfriends stuff and all but this most gentile leg braking is very difficult, I felt my knee go once and was lucky it was at the end of a day and only a slight pull. This is coming from someone who has run brakeless around town in the past so I am perfectly competent with fixed braking techniques. Subsequent w/e overnight tours had a rear brake and has made life do much easier.

I personally run 74" / 65" but have never been loaded anywhere hilly only on unloaded day rides. I'm a relatively strong
climber though, you know what your capable of. I would prob drop to some thin like 69" / high 50's ish if I was going somewhere with long hills, maybe even a freewheel if I was going down some really long downhills, short steep hills can be powered up or walked and it makes little difference. You could always carry one spare cog. Checkout this tool for a good all in one fixed gear multi tool by pedro. http://www.velosolo.co.uk/shoptool.html

I also like to run a 28 mm tyre on the back for a little extra protection of me and the rim when loaded.

Check this link http://fixing.letourdeoz.com/ for a dude who went around oz.

Another link for you

http://www.greywoolknickers.net/BikeTrip07/index.html

Are you taking all of your food from home for the entire trip? Your food list is very specific.

My only comment is that Europe is a great place, just not for camping. There are so many youth hostels and similar cheap ways to spend the night, and destinations are so close together, that I think you won't be needing the camping equipment at all.

Also this is bull****. I live in a very crowded part of England which it's self is crowded compared to Europe in general and I can still manage to find places to camp easily.

My only comment is that Europe is a great place, just not for camping. There are so many youth hostels and similar cheap ways to spend the night, and destinations are so close together, that I think you won't be needing the camping equipment at all.

Stealth or wild camping is certainly more difficult in Europe (and illegal in some places), but campsites are plenty and much cheaper than most fixed-roof accommodations.

I am jealous. This is the perfect time in life to do this, and perfect time in history too with the down economy. There are no jobs if you wanted to get one. I should have done something like this myself. I got lucky though and got a great job just out of college and about 6 months before the dot com bust.

I am just getting into photography, so am no expert, but you might want to look at the Canon G10. Many of the advanced features you are looking for in your DSLR but without nearly the weight, complexity of bits, and size.

Consider putting on a small front Rando style rack for weight distribution. Look on Rivendell or VeloOrange. I just picked up a VeloOrange Rando rack. You can put some dense heavy items on the front, (e.g. beer). Be concerned about weight distribution on your bike like you are when backpacking.

I'm pretty experienced with stealth camping, hopping fences, 'vanishing'...I'm ninja to the core.

Yeah, that's one of the motivations for this. I'll have a very desirable degree, and our economy sucks. I'm gonna find somewhere else to live.

That Canon G10 looks promising....thanks for the recommendation.