antokelly

hi all just wondering, is there many here doing say three week tours useing just barbag and two rear panniers and carradice camper saddlebag.this is my intention's come june when i head to france.i dont want to use front pannier's ,besides the kitty has run dry.i'll be carrying the full kit tent and all that goes with it .all the gear i have weigh's approx 36 pound's on the rear barbag havent weighed it yet but nothing to worry about i hope .
my bike thorn sherpa, wheels sun rhyno ,tyres conti city contacts,(might use the marathon plus ) .panniers ortlieb bikepacker plus,barbag ortlieb ultimate 5 ,and carradice camper.
so folks am i going to be ok with this set up ,is the bike going to take it okay.
and is there anyone with this set up on the forum or simular .photo's would be fantastic.

thanks all.
antokelly.

Rowan

Yes. You will be fine. I've done touring in France on two occasions with a very similar set-up, including 2007 with my fixed gear. Machka did so, too, in 2007.

I think there's a picture posted on another thread in the past week of our set-ups that were similar when we did a shorter tour in Australia early last year.

One of the real advantages will be coping with your gear at airports and if you are using trains. Smaller, lighter is better.

antokelly

rowen thank's for that im going by ferry ireland to roscof.so no big headache at airport.fix gear touring wow and in france,i need all the gears i can get ,and very glad of them thank you very much.

Rowan

OK... ferry... a compact package is just as good to have as for flying or train travel.

Of course, it all depends on what range of gear you have in your panniers and handlebar bag. I can say that I didn't want for anything on those trips or others, and that included a full Trangia cookset, a three-person tent in 2007, various changes of clothes and warm and waterproof gear. Oh, and a pair of flip-flops for showers and off-bike wear.

We usually didn't carry much in the way of food, although enough to get us out of a bind on one night. But we left the food and drink buying each night to the last town and stocked up with only a few miles to ride.

A note, however. Where we rode, across the north and into the east, dots on maps often indicated just villages, and they are residential locations. Don't rely on there being shops available at every dot on the map, because they aren't.

antokelly

thanks again rowan tell me do you by chance have a packing list i could have a look at for that france tour,

Rowan

I haven't got one for just two panniers and a handlebar bag. I've been meaning to compile one, but haven't done anything with my website for a long time.

I usually jot down a list with a pen and paper and tick off or cross off items as they go in the pile on the floor.

And I have been doing this sort of thing for a while, so I can be packed and ready to roll these days in a couple of hours if need be provided I haven't stored something in the deep, dark confines of a cupboard somewhere).

Anyway, here is a link to the website's section on packing lists for four panniers. You might find something useful in what I have written there:

https://www.cycling-adventurer.net/bi...pack-list.html

I suppose I should get my finger out and update the website a bit.

antokelly

thank's rowan always good to get advice from someone who 's done it.