Bike Tour Questions- Ultralighting, Ortliebs, and More
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Bike Tour Questions- Ultralighting, Ortliebs, and More
Hi! First off, thank you for reading this. I'm combining a couple of personal questions in one thread so I don't clutter the forum.
Here's a little background: I'm embarking on my first tour in August. I'm riding a 59cm Raleigh Port Townsend, a beautifully simple bike that I've put upwards of 2,000 miles of daily commuting and riding on in the last year. I'm 22 and fit, I train on hills, and I'm in good shape, so I have no question in my capability on the bike or my comfort with sizing, etc. I find "roughing it" to be thrillingly fun (the worse the conditions, the better!), and I am ready and able to make any sacrifice in comfort to accomplish everything, with minimal weight. I do want to bring a medium-sized DSLR with me, with a single lens, since it's a photo-driven endeavor- that's my weight sacrifice.
Here are my questions:
1. I would love to Ultralight Tour. My best guess at a setup is a DSLR bag and a sleeping bag in a drybag strapped to the front platform, a Jandd frame pack in my inner, a light Axiom seat bag, an Inov-8 Race pro 4 lumbar pack (wonderful kit) and a medium Sea to Summit e-Vent drybag strapped to a back frame.
However, my concerns are carrying food. This tour is from Massachusetts to Canada, then to Maine over 30 days, and we'll be shopping the whole way, but I do NOT want to credit-card tour. If we see an opportunity, we could spend 3-4 days away from towns camping or hiking or exploring, and I want to be able to carry enough food for that. What volume does that much high-density "camp" food like peanut butter and CLIF bars take up? I own a pair of Ortlieb backrollers, and I will put them on and fill them if I NEED to; I don't want to be foolish and rely on others to carry my food/water. With the Ultralight setup, the Jandd frame pack and Axiom seat bag could be empty, with room for maybe 2 more CLIF bars in my lumbar pack. Is that enough space?
2. How strong is the (2012 version) Ortlieb mounting system? I fear cracking plastic if we head off-road to avoid an obstruction. The attachment points on my rack are like, millimeters off: the bags "rest" on the bottom hook nestled in the V of the rack sides, and the top grippers do not bear weight. They're attached, but the weight is on that bottom piece and NOT the hanger. If I need to replace my rack with one that suits them, I can (if I bring them).
3. How much water does a 6'1" 150lb human being usually drink on a typical 100-mile day in hot weather? I know this varies drastically, but a guesstimate based on experience would be swell.
4. Big question: I will be riding with less than 15lbs of gear, MAXIMUM 20 with food and water. My bike has heavy-duty touring wheels. If I wanted to save weight on the bike, I think replacing my wheels would be my best investment. Am I correct in this assumption, and what kind of tires/rims are best for ultralight touring on a ~$300 budget?
Thank you for your time and patience! Thank you!
Here's a little background: I'm embarking on my first tour in August. I'm riding a 59cm Raleigh Port Townsend, a beautifully simple bike that I've put upwards of 2,000 miles of daily commuting and riding on in the last year. I'm 22 and fit, I train on hills, and I'm in good shape, so I have no question in my capability on the bike or my comfort with sizing, etc. I find "roughing it" to be thrillingly fun (the worse the conditions, the better!), and I am ready and able to make any sacrifice in comfort to accomplish everything, with minimal weight. I do want to bring a medium-sized DSLR with me, with a single lens, since it's a photo-driven endeavor- that's my weight sacrifice.
Here are my questions:
1. I would love to Ultralight Tour. My best guess at a setup is a DSLR bag and a sleeping bag in a drybag strapped to the front platform, a Jandd frame pack in my inner, a light Axiom seat bag, an Inov-8 Race pro 4 lumbar pack (wonderful kit) and a medium Sea to Summit e-Vent drybag strapped to a back frame.
However, my concerns are carrying food. This tour is from Massachusetts to Canada, then to Maine over 30 days, and we'll be shopping the whole way, but I do NOT want to credit-card tour. If we see an opportunity, we could spend 3-4 days away from towns camping or hiking or exploring, and I want to be able to carry enough food for that. What volume does that much high-density "camp" food like peanut butter and CLIF bars take up? I own a pair of Ortlieb backrollers, and I will put them on and fill them if I NEED to; I don't want to be foolish and rely on others to carry my food/water. With the Ultralight setup, the Jandd frame pack and Axiom seat bag could be empty, with room for maybe 2 more CLIF bars in my lumbar pack. Is that enough space?
2. How strong is the (2012 version) Ortlieb mounting system? I fear cracking plastic if we head off-road to avoid an obstruction. The attachment points on my rack are like, millimeters off: the bags "rest" on the bottom hook nestled in the V of the rack sides, and the top grippers do not bear weight. They're attached, but the weight is on that bottom piece and NOT the hanger. If I need to replace my rack with one that suits them, I can (if I bring them).
3. How much water does a 6'1" 150lb human being usually drink on a typical 100-mile day in hot weather? I know this varies drastically, but a guesstimate based on experience would be swell.
4. Big question: I will be riding with less than 15lbs of gear, MAXIMUM 20 with food and water. My bike has heavy-duty touring wheels. If I wanted to save weight on the bike, I think replacing my wheels would be my best investment. Am I correct in this assumption, and what kind of tires/rims are best for ultralight touring on a ~$300 budget?
Thank you for your time and patience! Thank you!
#2
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I have recently been doing a lot of experimentation with ultralight touring. You might check out my article and for even more recent versions of my exploits my journal for my last tour and my upcoming tour. I also have a spreadsheet that I am currently tinkering with.
On the bike weight issue...
Yes you could get the most bang for your buck with better wheels, but I think I would leave the bike as is.
Taking 4+ pound and 40 liter ortleib panniers to "fill them if I NEED to" doesn't sound like ultralight touring. I'd advise either skipping the panniers, taking only two smallish panniers and skip the other bags, or forget the notion of going ultralight. Most of my stuff fit in a 20 liter stuff sack when I had 14 pounds of stuff.
A few days of food can be pretty compact. If you choose carefully it could easily jam into one of your bags or even fit in a jersey pocket.
Water... I carry anything between just my two regular bottles when passing through towns frequently and another 4 liters or so in the desert where it is a long way between water stops. I figure I can get by on a gallon and a half of water per day in the heat. Depending on where you will be a filter can sometimes makes sense. Where I have toured lately I have been leaving it home, but it was nice to have cold water when it was 100F and there was a very cold mountain stream very frequently in the Sierras.
Tires... I like Continental Gatorskins. Preferred width depends on the roads I will be riding.
When you say "I will be riding with less than 15lbs of gear, MAXIMUM 20 with food and water", I do not think you are being realistic unless you rethink some of the choices you list. The camera you are carrying probably weighs a few pounds, the Ortleibs weigh over 4 pounds, you will probably need to carry a gallon or more of water at a time at some point so maybe 10 pounds of water, you mention 3-4 days of food and that is several pounds. So you have about 20 pounds already without counting your frame pack, lumbar pack, seat bag, stuff sack, clothes, cooking/eating gear, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, shelter (tent? bivy? tarp?), phone, maps, toiletries, and other stuff.
On the bike weight issue...
Yes you could get the most bang for your buck with better wheels, but I think I would leave the bike as is.
Taking 4+ pound and 40 liter ortleib panniers to "fill them if I NEED to" doesn't sound like ultralight touring. I'd advise either skipping the panniers, taking only two smallish panniers and skip the other bags, or forget the notion of going ultralight. Most of my stuff fit in a 20 liter stuff sack when I had 14 pounds of stuff.
A few days of food can be pretty compact. If you choose carefully it could easily jam into one of your bags or even fit in a jersey pocket.
Water... I carry anything between just my two regular bottles when passing through towns frequently and another 4 liters or so in the desert where it is a long way between water stops. I figure I can get by on a gallon and a half of water per day in the heat. Depending on where you will be a filter can sometimes makes sense. Where I have toured lately I have been leaving it home, but it was nice to have cold water when it was 100F and there was a very cold mountain stream very frequently in the Sierras.
Tires... I like Continental Gatorskins. Preferred width depends on the roads I will be riding.
When you say "I will be riding with less than 15lbs of gear, MAXIMUM 20 with food and water", I do not think you are being realistic unless you rethink some of the choices you list. The camera you are carrying probably weighs a few pounds, the Ortleibs weigh over 4 pounds, you will probably need to carry a gallon or more of water at a time at some point so maybe 10 pounds of water, you mention 3-4 days of food and that is several pounds. So you have about 20 pounds already without counting your frame pack, lumbar pack, seat bag, stuff sack, clothes, cooking/eating gear, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, shelter (tent? bivy? tarp?), phone, maps, toiletries, and other stuff.
#3
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I found the choices interesting Mike Hall made for his round the world record.
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Your Ortlieb question - I find them to be quite strong. You mention that the bag sits on the bottom hook and that the weight is not supported from the upper hooks.
Older ones like mine, the lower hook is on an oval shaped two track bracket, newer ones like yours have a single track for the lower hook on a bracket that has a slight curve. Can you remove the bottom track and turn it to be upside down? If so, that would position the curve slightly higher and raise the lower hook position. That way the bags might hang from the upper hooks and less force be placed on the lower hook. Also, if your lower hook sits in the "V" of the rack, that could act like a wedge and drive the V apart with potential damage to the rack.
Or, simply move the hook to the side so that it does not sit in the V, but instead the hook would aim towards the front or rear where it would hook over the V portion of the rack.
There are reports on the internet of people that toured with Ortliebs for many months having the upper hooks stretch out. There are little inserts that are sized for the rack tubing (or rod) diameter in the upper hooks. Apparently those inserts can fall out after the hooks stretch out. But I would be surprised if this was a problem after only a month of use, so I think you should feel that the Ortlieb brackets are good enough for your trip.
Older ones like mine, the lower hook is on an oval shaped two track bracket, newer ones like yours have a single track for the lower hook on a bracket that has a slight curve. Can you remove the bottom track and turn it to be upside down? If so, that would position the curve slightly higher and raise the lower hook position. That way the bags might hang from the upper hooks and less force be placed on the lower hook. Also, if your lower hook sits in the "V" of the rack, that could act like a wedge and drive the V apart with potential damage to the rack.
Or, simply move the hook to the side so that it does not sit in the V, but instead the hook would aim towards the front or rear where it would hook over the V portion of the rack.
There are reports on the internet of people that toured with Ortliebs for many months having the upper hooks stretch out. There are little inserts that are sized for the rack tubing (or rod) diameter in the upper hooks. Apparently those inserts can fall out after the hooks stretch out. But I would be surprised if this was a problem after only a month of use, so I think you should feel that the Ortlieb brackets are good enough for your trip.
Last edited by Tourist in MSN; 06-26-12 at 06:46 AM.
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1. unless you've already bought the Jandd frame pack I'd strongly suggest you look at the medium Revelate Designs frame bag. It'll hold more. Food can go in one of those ultralight nylon satchels/backpacks then strapped to the bike rack for the store to camp trip. When empty collapse into frame bag. Check out a large water bottle holder, something for a 1.5l H20 bottle with a regular 24oz bottle in the other, not sure if it and the frame bag will fit together but worth a try.
2. If you're going ultralight don't bring the panniers. If you're worried about the panniers staying attached because you've gone ballistically off road to "avoid an obstruction" you've got bigger worries, unless I misunderstand your meaning and you're simply going off road riding. Either way they're strong but I'm surprised you aren't able to make the lower hook adjust to hang correctly. Off road riding you'll want to secure panniers anyway, maybe with bungies or 1/2" webbing to keep the contents from bouncing the bags around.
3. make sure you have water to start the day.
4.Replacing sturdy touring wheels for lighter wheels where you might go off road is not an investment but a compromise with more negatives than positives. Have a wheel builder go over the wheels for a nominal fee and put your $ to travel expenses or fancy tires. If you're using the stock 700x35Vittoria Randonneur touring tires they weigh 790g each. It would make a hell of a lot more sense to replace those than the wheels. Those look like a fine cheap on/off road tire but there are probably better choices for road riding and reducing your total load 1-2lbs. You could replace those two with 700x32 Supremes, carry a spare 35mm XR/Mondial and still be 300g lighter.
2. If you're going ultralight don't bring the panniers. If you're worried about the panniers staying attached because you've gone ballistically off road to "avoid an obstruction" you've got bigger worries, unless I misunderstand your meaning and you're simply going off road riding. Either way they're strong but I'm surprised you aren't able to make the lower hook adjust to hang correctly. Off road riding you'll want to secure panniers anyway, maybe with bungies or 1/2" webbing to keep the contents from bouncing the bags around.
3. make sure you have water to start the day.
4.Replacing sturdy touring wheels for lighter wheels where you might go off road is not an investment but a compromise with more negatives than positives. Have a wheel builder go over the wheels for a nominal fee and put your $ to travel expenses or fancy tires. If you're using the stock 700x35Vittoria Randonneur touring tires they weigh 790g each. It would make a hell of a lot more sense to replace those than the wheels. Those look like a fine cheap on/off road tire but there are probably better choices for road riding and reducing your total load 1-2lbs. You could replace those two with 700x32 Supremes, carry a spare 35mm XR/Mondial and still be 300g lighter.
Last edited by LeeG; 06-26-12 at 06:59 AM.
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For the region you are riding in, you will always be able to buy food one meal in advance while on the road, meaning you basically don't need to carry anything. If you eat cold food, you can skip the stove/fuel. If you want to go hiking for a few days, you will probably want a backpack, so buy and just shove the extra food in there. Depending on what you actually mean by hiking/camping you could pick up an ultralight pack like this: https://www.mec.ca/AST/ShopMEC/Packs/...t-day-pack.jsp
A gallon of water (mentioned by someone else) is also definitely overkill. Two regular water bottles will do you fine. You will drink more than 2 bottles riding 100 miles a day, but you would be very hard pressed to find a stretch of 50 miles in the northeast with no water or anything. Even when camping in the woods, there are plenty of streams and lakes. You can bring a little purification kit or uv pen or something if you want.
In general, I think, after the camera, the biggest excessive weight you are carrying is bags. You probably have listed 10 lbs of bags and racks
A gallon of water (mentioned by someone else) is also definitely overkill. Two regular water bottles will do you fine. You will drink more than 2 bottles riding 100 miles a day, but you would be very hard pressed to find a stretch of 50 miles in the northeast with no water or anything. Even when camping in the woods, there are plenty of streams and lakes. You can bring a little purification kit or uv pen or something if you want.
In general, I think, after the camera, the biggest excessive weight you are carrying is bags. You probably have listed 10 lbs of bags and racks
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Hi! First off, thank you for reading this. I'm combining a couple of personal questions in one thread so I don't clutter the forum.
Here's a little background: I'm embarking on my first tour in August. I'm riding a 59cm Raleigh Port Townsend, a beautifully simple bike that I've put upwards of 2,000 miles of daily commuting and riding on in the last year. I'm 22 and fit, I train on hills, and I'm in good shape, so I have no question in my capability on the bike or my comfort with sizing, etc. I find "roughing it" to be thrillingly fun (the worse the conditions, the better!), and I am ready and able to make any sacrifice in comfort to accomplish everything, with minimal weight. I do want to bring a medium-sized DSLR with me, with a single lens, since it's a photo-driven endeavor- that's my weight sacrifice.
Here are my questions:
1. I would love to Ultralight Tour. My best guess at a setup is a DSLR bag and a sleeping bag in a drybag strapped to the front platform, a Jandd frame pack in my inner, a light Axiom seat bag, an Inov-8 Race pro 4 lumbar pack (wonderful kit) and a medium Sea to Summit e-Vent drybag strapped to a back frame.
However, my concerns are carrying food. This tour is from Massachusetts to Canada, then to Maine over 30 days, and we'll be shopping the whole way, but I do NOT want to credit-card tour. If we see an opportunity, we could spend 3-4 days away from towns camping or hiking or exploring, and I want to be able to carry enough food for that. What volume does that much high-density "camp" food like peanut butter and CLIF bars take up? I own a pair of Ortlieb backrollers, and I will put them on and fill them if I NEED to; I don't want to be foolish and rely on others to carry my food/water. With the Ultralight setup, the Jandd frame pack and Axiom seat bag could be empty, with room for maybe 2 more CLIF bars in my lumbar pack. Is that enough space?
2. How strong is the (2012 version) Ortlieb mounting system? I fear cracking plastic if we head off-road to avoid an obstruction. The attachment points on my rack are like, millimeters off: the bags "rest" on the bottom hook nestled in the V of the rack sides, and the top grippers do not bear weight. They're attached, but the weight is on that bottom piece and NOT the hanger. If I need to replace my rack with one that suits them, I can (if I bring them).
3. How much water does a 6'1" 150lb human being usually drink on a typical 100-mile day in hot weather? I know this varies drastically, but a guesstimate based on experience would be swell.
4. Big question: I will be riding with less than 15lbs of gear, MAXIMUM 20 with food and water. My bike has heavy-duty touring wheels. If I wanted to save weight on the bike, I think replacing my wheels would be my best investment. Am I correct in this assumption, and what kind of tires/rims are best for ultralight touring on a ~$300 budget?
Thank you for your time and patience! Thank you!
Here's a little background: I'm embarking on my first tour in August. I'm riding a 59cm Raleigh Port Townsend, a beautifully simple bike that I've put upwards of 2,000 miles of daily commuting and riding on in the last year. I'm 22 and fit, I train on hills, and I'm in good shape, so I have no question in my capability on the bike or my comfort with sizing, etc. I find "roughing it" to be thrillingly fun (the worse the conditions, the better!), and I am ready and able to make any sacrifice in comfort to accomplish everything, with minimal weight. I do want to bring a medium-sized DSLR with me, with a single lens, since it's a photo-driven endeavor- that's my weight sacrifice.
Here are my questions:
1. I would love to Ultralight Tour. My best guess at a setup is a DSLR bag and a sleeping bag in a drybag strapped to the front platform, a Jandd frame pack in my inner, a light Axiom seat bag, an Inov-8 Race pro 4 lumbar pack (wonderful kit) and a medium Sea to Summit e-Vent drybag strapped to a back frame.
However, my concerns are carrying food. This tour is from Massachusetts to Canada, then to Maine over 30 days, and we'll be shopping the whole way, but I do NOT want to credit-card tour. If we see an opportunity, we could spend 3-4 days away from towns camping or hiking or exploring, and I want to be able to carry enough food for that. What volume does that much high-density "camp" food like peanut butter and CLIF bars take up? I own a pair of Ortlieb backrollers, and I will put them on and fill them if I NEED to; I don't want to be foolish and rely on others to carry my food/water. With the Ultralight setup, the Jandd frame pack and Axiom seat bag could be empty, with room for maybe 2 more CLIF bars in my lumbar pack. Is that enough space?
2. How strong is the (2012 version) Ortlieb mounting system? I fear cracking plastic if we head off-road to avoid an obstruction. The attachment points on my rack are like, millimeters off: the bags "rest" on the bottom hook nestled in the V of the rack sides, and the top grippers do not bear weight. They're attached, but the weight is on that bottom piece and NOT the hanger. If I need to replace my rack with one that suits them, I can (if I bring them).
3. How much water does a 6'1" 150lb human being usually drink on a typical 100-mile day in hot weather? I know this varies drastically, but a guesstimate based on experience would be swell.
4. Big question: I will be riding with less than 15lbs of gear, MAXIMUM 20 with food and water. My bike has heavy-duty touring wheels. If I wanted to save weight on the bike, I think replacing my wheels would be my best investment. Am I correct in this assumption, and what kind of tires/rims are best for ultralight touring on a ~$300 budget?
Thank you for your time and patience! Thank you!
This seems like your first trip. It also seemed like from the sounds of you that this is also your first light hiking trip too. Usually people who had done a lot of bike touring and hiking know their water consumption rate. This is due to the fact that each person sweats at different rates depending upon electrolyte levels, protein consumption, exertion levels and overall health wise so it's hard to compare.
Get a good rack, bring the Ortlieb panniers and perhaps think about investing in a light shelter, light sleeping bag and light air pad. These stuff, if they are not super light, can easily go over 10lbs without you even adding water and food.
To give you an idea of what ultralight touring means is when I met a french guy on my tour. All he had was a fur coat and few clothes, water filtration system and some dry food. That's all. Fur coat was his shelter for the night and jacket for the cold morning. I'm not sure how he managed to tough it out in the cold, but obviously since he claimed he toured the world with this setup, he seemed to manage it.
#8
Senior Member
For the region you are riding in, you will always be able to buy food one meal in advance while on the road, meaning you basically don't need to carry anything. If you eat cold food, you can skip the stove/fuel. If you want to go hiking for a few days, you will probably want a backpack, so buy and just shove the extra food in there. Depending on what you actually mean by hiking/camping you could pick up an ultralight pack like this: https://www.mec.ca/AST/ShopMEC/Packs/...t-day-pack.jsp
A gallon of water (mentioned by someone else) is also definitely overkill. Two regular water bottles will do you fine. You will drink more than 2 bottles riding 100 miles a day, but you would be very hard pressed to find a stretch of 50 miles in the northeast with no water or anything. Even when camping in the woods, there are plenty of streams and lakes. You can bring a little purification kit or uv pen or something if you want.
In general, I think, after the camera, the biggest excessive weight you are carrying is bags. You probably have listed 10 lbs of bags and racks
A gallon of water (mentioned by someone else) is also definitely overkill. Two regular water bottles will do you fine. You will drink more than 2 bottles riding 100 miles a day, but you would be very hard pressed to find a stretch of 50 miles in the northeast with no water or anything. Even when camping in the woods, there are plenty of streams and lakes. You can bring a little purification kit or uv pen or something if you want.
In general, I think, after the camera, the biggest excessive weight you are carrying is bags. You probably have listed 10 lbs of bags and racks
#9
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These responses have been enormously helpful. My background information was good, but apparently not enough, which is fine! Here's a little more info:
1. I've done a lot of light hiking, but always day hikes where I'd get back to base camp and drink as much as I wanted without thinking. I know to bring 48 ounces when I'm out all afternoon, and I know to be careful not to drink it too fast, so I figure that x2-3 will cover me for touring days. So I have a general idea and won't die of thirst, but if there's advice to be had I want to have it. And thanks for the info here.
2. Re: Ultralight
I want to go ultralight, whether I can or not is relative. Some info:
I sleep in a Hennessey Hammock that weighs about 800 ounces, so I have bugproofing and waterproofing covered. I want to make a small sacrifice and carry a Thermarest air mattress for the warmth, and this isn't more than a pound or so. My sleeping bag is an $80 EMS Solstice 20 degree and may be replaced. The weight isn't awful, about 3.5 lbs, but the size makes it hard to strap to the frame. If I feel inspired and it's making or breaking the ultralight setup, I'll spend $200 on a 45 degree Synthetic from Mountain Hardwear and save another pound and a half.
Combine those main items with my bike tools, Smartwool shirt and tights and socks for sleeping, a small synthetic beanie and gloves, a Marmot UL Backpacking raincoat and a pair of not-that-UL mesh lined rain pants, an ounces-heavy first aid kit and flat kit, a less-than-1-lb air pump (the smallest I could find), a dry bag/fanny pack combo that weighs like 600g, and a Thermolite 25 degree sleeping bag liner, and I have a "base weight" of less than 15 lbs, camera excluded. If I don't count the clothes on my back and my bike shoes and my camera, it's 11.5 lbs. 10 lbs with the new sleeping bag.
Ok, so the camera setup is, I'm estimating, about 5 lbs when all is said and done. I'll be in an UL lifestyle with a not-so-UL setup if I bring the camera. That's ok. I'm defining this first trip with a big line where dry-sacks and one pair of clothes is on one side and panniers and jeans are on the other. I'm rolling light!
My reasoning for this is my group and my lifestyle. One of the guys is a thru-hiker, so he's used to roughing it and improvising and carrying the bare minimum. I am trying to do the same and will eventually weigh out everything on an Excel sheet, and cut the flak. I doubt I'll need everything on that list.
Re: Wheels, I will be keeping my wheels (and thanks for the advice here) but I will be replacing my tires. my Raddonneurs were cracking anyways. Again, thank you!
1. I've done a lot of light hiking, but always day hikes where I'd get back to base camp and drink as much as I wanted without thinking. I know to bring 48 ounces when I'm out all afternoon, and I know to be careful not to drink it too fast, so I figure that x2-3 will cover me for touring days. So I have a general idea and won't die of thirst, but if there's advice to be had I want to have it. And thanks for the info here.
2. Re: Ultralight
I want to go ultralight, whether I can or not is relative. Some info:
I sleep in a Hennessey Hammock that weighs about 800 ounces, so I have bugproofing and waterproofing covered. I want to make a small sacrifice and carry a Thermarest air mattress for the warmth, and this isn't more than a pound or so. My sleeping bag is an $80 EMS Solstice 20 degree and may be replaced. The weight isn't awful, about 3.5 lbs, but the size makes it hard to strap to the frame. If I feel inspired and it's making or breaking the ultralight setup, I'll spend $200 on a 45 degree Synthetic from Mountain Hardwear and save another pound and a half.
Combine those main items with my bike tools, Smartwool shirt and tights and socks for sleeping, a small synthetic beanie and gloves, a Marmot UL Backpacking raincoat and a pair of not-that-UL mesh lined rain pants, an ounces-heavy first aid kit and flat kit, a less-than-1-lb air pump (the smallest I could find), a dry bag/fanny pack combo that weighs like 600g, and a Thermolite 25 degree sleeping bag liner, and I have a "base weight" of less than 15 lbs, camera excluded. If I don't count the clothes on my back and my bike shoes and my camera, it's 11.5 lbs. 10 lbs with the new sleeping bag.
Ok, so the camera setup is, I'm estimating, about 5 lbs when all is said and done. I'll be in an UL lifestyle with a not-so-UL setup if I bring the camera. That's ok. I'm defining this first trip with a big line where dry-sacks and one pair of clothes is on one side and panniers and jeans are on the other. I'm rolling light!
My reasoning for this is my group and my lifestyle. One of the guys is a thru-hiker, so he's used to roughing it and improvising and carrying the bare minimum. I am trying to do the same and will eventually weigh out everything on an Excel sheet, and cut the flak. I doubt I'll need everything on that list.
Re: Wheels, I will be keeping my wheels (and thanks for the advice here) but I will be replacing my tires. my Raddonneurs were cracking anyways. Again, thank you!
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I sleep in a Hennessey Hammock that weighs about 800 ounces, so I have bugproofing and waterproofing covered. I want to make a small sacrifice and carry a Thermarest air mattress for the warmth, and this isn't more than a pound or so. My sleeping bag is an $80 EMS Solstice 20 degree and may be replaced. The weight isn't awful, about 3.5 lbs, but the size makes it hard to strap to the frame. If I feel inspired and it's making or breaking the ultralight setup, I'll spend $200 on a 45 degree Synthetic from Mountain Hardwear and save another pound and a half.
Try a quilt from this guy instead of the MH Bag. For the same price, you'll get a lighter, warmer bag. I've heard nothing but great things about Enlightened Equipment, and am waiting for my chance to order my own.
In a hammock especially, the quilt shouldn't matter. If anything, it will be an improvement.
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In a hammock even more so than on the ground, use a top quilt instead of a sleeping bag! All the ounces on the underside of the bag are wasted weight in both cases.
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I talked to a fellow tourer in my LBS this morning, and he insists that the temperature from Boston to Montreal in August will never be low enough for me to get cold. I have slept outside in a 20 degree bag when it was 10 out and I *slept* but I prefer to be warm... so I'm skeptical of his claim that I'll need nothing.
Still, what if I used my Thermolite Reactor liner and a compressible 9 ounce down jacket?
Still, what if I used my Thermolite Reactor liner and a compressible 9 ounce down jacket?
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look up our average august temps, but some nights can be quite cool, but doing some internet searches for avg temps should help you out with actual numbers.
Ive dont aug trips (more end of aug) where its been cold at night, and I was cold also. but everyone is diff and I too am not a warm sleeper.
Ive dont aug trips (more end of aug) where its been cold at night, and I was cold also. but everyone is diff and I too am not a warm sleeper.
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OH, also, I talked to my LBS owner (Paul @ The Spoke in Western Mass, 5/5 stars) and settled on the $80 Schwalbe Marathon Supreme tires. I could spend $40 a tire on the Schwalbe Marathon Regulars, which actually have higher durability, but this is a marginal loss in durability for half the weight! 440g per tire.
Considering the weight I save off the Raddoneurs, this is like carrying 1 less tent. Given centrifugal force, it's probably much more than that. Thank you to LeeG for the tip there. I'm making the swap next week.
Considering the weight I save off the Raddoneurs, this is like carrying 1 less tent. Given centrifugal force, it's probably much more than that. Thank you to LeeG for the tip there. I'm making the swap next week.
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I have recently been doing a lot of experimentation with ultralight touring. You might check out my article and for even more recent versions of my exploits my journal for my last tour and my upcoming tour. I also have a spreadsheet that I am currently tinkering with.
Taking 4+ pound and 40 liter ortleib panniers to "fill them if I NEED to" doesn't sound like ultralight touring. I'd advise either skipping the panniers, taking only two smallish panniers and skip the other bags, or forget the notion of going ultralight. Most of my stuff fit in a 20 liter stuff sack when I had 14 pounds of stuff.
Water... I carry anything between just my two regular bottles when passing through towns frequently and another 4 liters or so in the desert where it is a long way between water stops. I figure I can get by on a gallon and a half of water per day in the heat. Depending on where you will be a filter can sometimes makes sense. Where I have toured lately I have been leaving it home, but it was nice to have cold water when it was 100F and there was a very cold mountain stream very frequently in the Sierras.
I am definitely ready to make small sacrifices.
When you say "I will be riding with less than 15lbs of gear, MAXIMUM 20 with food and water", I do not think you are being realistic unless you rethink some of the choices you list. The camera you are carrying probably weighs a few pounds, the Ortleibs weigh over 4 pounds, you will probably need to carry a gallon or more of water at a time at some point so maybe 10 pounds of water, you mention 3-4 days of food and that is several pounds. So you have about 20 pounds already without counting your frame pack, lumbar pack, seat bag, stuff sack, clothes, cooking/eating gear, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, shelter (tent? bivy? tarp?), phone, maps, toiletries, and other stuff.
The camera is a huge concession, but it is a concession with a purpose. I am still undecided on how to carry it, however. I would love to lose some weight with an UL Handlebar bag that can fit a DSLR, i'll pad it myself if need be.
Also, minor update: I checked out historic lows for the region and decided on a Sea to Summit Thermolite liner and a compressible down jacket as my sleep system. I can sleep on the coat as a pillow and put it on when I get chilled out.
Thanks again, all, for the tips, especially staehpj1.