Originally Posted by
leanneg
You know, maybe it's the way I tour, or maybe I'm just contrary, but I just don't understand this push to have the smallest possible bags while touring. I understand keeping gear weight and packed size down, sure, but I still like to have weight spread out on the bike, and I still like to have extra space. I never know when I'll stop to pick up odd size things like a bunch of fruit from a farm stand, or a whole box of donuts, or a whole pizza...
It's nice to have a spot where that stuff fits, without having to tie strangely shaped bundles onto odd spaces on the bike. Also, I'm often traveling in places where I need several days of food or quite a bit of extra water, and it's nice to not have to MacGuyver a way to carry stuff when it's needed.
Then, being ultralight isn't much of a priority for me, so there's that too.
I tend to agree with you. If I can get the bike loaded up with a front and rear rack, and keep the rack platform free for whatever odds and ends come my way, I'm happy. But I also found that I like not having a front rack when the bike is unloaded, so eliminating it and carrying gear on the handlbars and forks has been nice. And I've found that my S & S bike is kind of a tight fit in its bag. It'd be nice to not have to worry about a rear rack in that situation. So my next trip may involve a straight bike-packing set up just because it's easier to fly with that stuff and avoid oversize/overweight charges. If not for that, I would never take the rear rack off of my bike. It's too useful.