Originally Posted by
azza_333
Not that I am saying that
alan s photo of a bike packing set-up crap, its a pretty sweet looking rig, but I do feel that it is on the heavy/bulk side, mostly because I feel that handle bar rolls and things strapped to the outside of a seatpackis a sign you are over packing. I don't currently have any photos of all of my bike bags on my bike, but I have edited a photo so show where my bike bags go, the packing list I wrote above using these bike bags leaves a decent amount of room in the bags for random crap I might pick up along the way.
A lot of people use a small bag(like a top tube bag) between the seat post and the top tube(just under the nose of the saddle) I find although you can carry more there, it restricts you ability to stand over the bike when stopped, so as seen in the photo I made a small bag to fit in the rear triangle space.
That photo was from a test run the other day. I loaded the bike to the max capacity to make sure everything works and it handles well. I have a 2 person tent, 15 degree sleeping bag, full inflatable pad, cooking gear and rain gear, in addition to all the items you carry. Everything worked out great, the bike handles very well on twisty, winding trails, and all the gear is held securely. My goal is not UL, but a reduction in weight and better aerodynamics. The real tour will be in a couple weeks.