1-track-mind

I was thrilled to discover that I could fit my entire tent,sleeping bag and pad in my two panniers largest panniers (Dueter Rack Pack II). That's gonna leave everything else for two smallish Lone Peak pannier (2000 cu in) and a frame pump pack.
I was initially expecting to carrying some stuff on top of the back rack, but it looks like I can avoid that if I can pare down the rest of the load.
How would you play it for a week long tour ?

bikebuddha 

My first overnight was a credit card tour. I packed light and pulled up to little hotels along the way.

staehpj1

I would expect that everything would fit in your panniers, if you want it to. Your "smallish" front panniers are just a bit smaller than my "normal sized" rear panniers and just about twice the size of my "normal sized" front panniers. I didn't have the bags very full and found mine quite adequate for a coast to coast trip (I wouldn't carry much less for a one week tour though). I did store my sleeping pad and tent on the rear rack though. I think that if I had to I could fit it all in the bags if traveling alone (I had a big 9 pound 4 man tent on the cross country because there were three of us).

arctos

I prefer to carry my tent on the rear rack where it can dry a bit if damp or rain soaked.

Machka 

Pannier A - sleeping mat, sleeping bags, pillows, dishes.

Pannier B - clothing & toiletries

Trunk Bag - tools and clothing I may need during the ride (i.e. full fingered gloves, booties, reflective gear, etc.)

Handlebar Bag - maps, personal stuff, tissues, wet-wipes, etc.

staehpj1

Me too. I only mentioned putting it inside to say that it would fit.

I don't find it drys much or gets wetter while riding though, since it is always rolled up with the waterproof floor on the outside. It is pretty much in the same state of wetness or dryness at the end of the day on the bike as at the start. Do you actually manage to have it dry much while riding? If so do you pack it is some special way to accomplish that?

lighthorse

1-Track,
What in the world are you taking for only one week that will require four panniers? Sounds to me as if you do need to pare down a bit. I can get my tent, ground pad, sleeping bag, spare maps, and other stuff into one pannier. I only use one additional pannier for everything else including food, clothes, tools, parts, etc.
Good luck getting it all to fit, and have a good ride.

staehpj1

I carry the same stuff whether coast to coast or a few days, so length of trip isn't all that relevent. Number of panniers isn't either unless you factor in the size of the panniers. But since his panniers total about 5000 cubic inches yes that is a lot of stuff.

BTW: I enjoyed your 2007 trip journal on the Crazy Guy site, lighthorse. I see you also have a motorcycle do you tour on that as well?

lighthorse

Staehpj,
I don't want to hijack 1-Tracks thread but, yes I do tour on the motor as well. It looks as if that is what is in the cards for this year.

1-track-mind

[QUOTE=lighthorse;6302684]1-Track,
What in the world are you taking for only one week that will require four panniers? Sounds to me as if you do need to pare down a bit. I can get my tent, ground pad, sleeping bag, spare maps, and other stuff into one pannier. I only use one additional pannier for everything else including food, clothes, tools, parts, etc.
Good luck getting it all to fit, and have a good ride.[/QUOTE
Well, if I have to choose between being comfortable and light, I'm going for comfort.
I have a 3 person BA seedhouse tent, BA encampment bag, a 2.5 air core pad and a pillow.
That's taking up my two largest panniers just for that. So that leaves two small panniers for a water purifier, stove,cooking stuff, clothes,food and whatever else. I would like to get a lightweight chair to strap to my rear rack.

mtnroads

I like putting the tent on the top of the rear rack, along with the sleeping pad. That frees up considerable room in your rear panniers for extra clothing, hiking shoes, cold weather gear, etc... Front pans take the food, cooking gear and heavy camping stuff.

Cave

Week long tour strategy for me:

(1) Travel in an area with lots of wineries, dairies, other specialist food producers. Also moderate hills and natural bushland.
(2) Avoid school holidays
(3) One rest day to relax and wash clothes and sightsee.
(3) Packing:
Rear (L) pannier:
- Tent (Tarptent double rainbow, heaps of room for 1, enough room for 2 but not much gear inside with 2 people)
- Sleeping bag and liner in a dry bag (Mont Zodiac 350)
- Sleeping pad (Thermarest Prolite 3R)
- Fold-away pillow
- Stove (trangia). Small bottle fuel. (375 ml metho)
That about does it for that pannier. I try to put rain gear in the outside pocket of this one but it dosen't always fit. Tools also.
(R) rear pannier
- Dry bag with clothes. 2 extra shorts, 1 extra jersey, 1 shirt, 1 long pants, 1 set dry thermals, polypro balaclava, thick socks x1 or 2, thin socks x2. Microfleece top sometimes. The dry bag lets all the air squash out pretty effectively.
- Toiletries. Towel (microfibre).
- Pair of thongs (flip-flops)
- Bag with on-bike clothes. 2nd set thermals (that I can get wet), buff, thermal vest, gloves, raingear.
- Sometimes stove.
- Some couscous, tuna in foil, pitta bread, coffee. Tube of sweetened condensed milk for coffee (mmmm...). Prefer to buy food locally but have some in reserve.
On bike
- Pump, water bottles x3, snacks in a bento-box type bag on the top tube.

If the panniers are too full I use a rack top bag for tools, rain gear, etc.

Re comfort - I would prefer a thicker sleeping pad, am considering a Big Agnes inflatable which shouldn't take up too much room. Also more condensation on the inside of the tent than I like, manageable but I have to be careful getting up in the morning if I've had the sides of the tent down level with the ground.

Lights - Fenix L2Dce, blinkies front and back, +/- Cateye EL500
Maps, helmet, safety vest
Mobile phone and charger, palm (for reading, mp3s, alarm clock) and charger.

antokelly

say cave what panniers have you got

Cave

They're just tioga commuting panniers, plus an expandable tioga rack-top. The bag on the top of the top tube is a mesh bag the towel came in, cable tied on. It flops around a bit but I can't bring myself to spend 30 bucks on the commercial version, what a rip off. The panniers have worked fine for 3 trips and commuting, seem rugged enough for the light to moderate use they get. Not sure about the capacity, reasonably big but not like the big Arkels or Deuters. The Trangia dosen't fit easily, am thinking about getting a mini trangia for next time (which won't be for a while). There's not much excess room, if I was in a remote area I would need more space for food and water.

My sleeping bag and pad are pretty compact, and the tent is not bad either, that's the main reason everything fits. Some people go really light weight, I prefer to have plenty of stuff but I try to choose compact gear. Despite taking the palm, I often end up buying a paperback if there is a plane or train journey involved.

The weight is all at the back, handling is fine on my Cannondale but on rough dirt roads you feel every corrugation even with a 37mm rear tyre. I'd cop the extra weight of a front rack and bags (± fatter tyres) if I was planning a long ride on dirt roads.

mrpincher

I carry the same basic gear for every trip. The amount of food varies and the clothing follows the seasons.
Front left pannier is a down sleeping bag, folding tire and tube.
Front right pannier is all clothes.
Left rear pannier carries bike tools and food - lots of it!!
Right rear pannier carries stove, cookware, fuel, flare gun and ham radio...

Two (a full length and a 3/4) thermarest sleeping pads roll up on the rear rack. Light weight tent goes on the front rack. If I plan to lounge at the campsite, I switch tents and bring the three man tent. It goes on the rear rack. Magazines get stored behind the tortillas along the side of the food pannier. Thought I'd add that?
Handle bar bag would be a good place to keep money if I had some. Instead I carry bubble gum, lifesavers and about 5 tubes of chapstick. Oh, thats also where I secure my good luck charms I find along the road.
Fun Post
See ya