Originally Posted by
bradtx
JWK, Now is perhaps the time to buy a quality rear rack and a top bag.
More importantly is the need to stay properly hydrated. You should feel the need to pee at least once an hour. You can supplement the three bottles on the bike with a couple of liters in the top bag.
Brad
Brad, I think you're right. Once I stopped fretting about the pannier situation, I realized getting set up with Tubus racks seems best. They don't weigh any more than the better aluminum racks, so I'll cry once. I'll figure out the panniers later. Right now I need to figure out how to carry water and food and I don't need a full Ortlieb set to do that. I might even buy some Lone Peak pannier hardware and try converting a bunch of cordura shoulder bags I have from a previous project. I think I have about 16 of them, so plenty of room for experimenting.
Any suggestions for a top bag?