I'm taking the Friday (Pocket Rocket) on a charity ride from Vancouver to Seattle this summer, which is something like 80 miles a day over two days. I did a century on the Friday a couple of years ago, so I know it works, but this will be the first time I've ridden this much on the Friday over two straight days (I was so wiped after the century that I didn't ride at all the next day.) The Friday is a wonderful bike, but it's heavier than the average road bike, so it takes a notch or two more energy to ride.

On my Big Bike, with a ride like this, I try to keep Stuff to a minimum -- two water bottles and a small seat post bag for rain or cold-weather gear, on the logic that there's enough support there that I don't need more than that.

But on the Friday I tend to take things easier, with a rack and a pannier. I have a single water bottle on the frame, and a second one inside the pannier, along with snacks and extra clothes. It adds to the comfort, and it adds to the weight.

My question: does anyone have experience with several water bottles on a Friday, and with a seatpost bag, so I can leave the rack at home? Or should I just accept that I will be slower, and the ride will take longer, and take the pannier so I'm ready for anything that the West Coast can throw at me?

Thoughts/comments welcome.

Van/Vic BC to Seattle is mostly on a ferry across Juan de Fuca straights.
is there a ferryhop to the San Juans, Or the riding start in Anacortes or Pt Angeles?

you might get a cage, as is made, to fit a 2L store bought water bottle behind the seat tube..

I like the way a front Pannier set on the front rack BF makes
loads the front wheel some for better stability.. ( mine a P Llama not a P Rocket )

but a Carradice saddle bag and a handle bar bag may suit the load for a couple days..

Pack rain gear.. might dry a bit for August, often does..

It's a June ride, so it might not dry out. Sadly. I think the ride starts from Surrey, just south of Vancouver, and takes mostly back roads to Seattle. No ferry. I don't know the route, but apparently there is one Big Hill just before you hit Seattle. That's mean.

I had not thought of a handlebar bag, or a bottle cage behind the seat tube. Will have to look into those options. I would like not to have to fit racks (or buy a front rack) unless I have to. This is a supported ride, with rest stations every 20-30 miles, and then there are buses back to Vancouver at the end. I think.

I'm assuming a good rain jacket will be all I need for the probably inclement weather? I don't like riding in rain pants much.

I got a cycle Rain cape this winter, that does a decent job of keeping your legs dryer.
[and finally my hands stay dry]
.. as long as a Gale is not bringing in the next storm.

6th month of the year is often known as Junuary around here.
but you will be on the Lee side of the Olympic Mountains..

Ah that makes all the difference in the world ..

When I used my Pocket Rocket as my commute vehicle I had a Carradice Camper saddlebag for carrying my things and I normally have water bottle cages both on the downtube and behind the seatmast. For bike-camping I usually load it with rear panniers and a handlebar bag. But you shouldn't need to carry much at all on the ride to Seattle - I'd think the same arrangement you say you use on your other bike (water bottles plus seat bag) would be fine.

A seat post mounted Beam rack and a rack top bag is another possibility..
KF makes a hoop bag support that other companies use , to have the bag long and narrow
rather than wide, but those big Brit Saddlebags are nice I've got a couple.

Junary? Eek.

Why can't they do the damn thing in August?

I wonder how much drag the panniers add. Even if you can`t find somewhere else to hang your extra bottles, I bet a rack trunk would cut a good bit of drag VS panniers.
...So says my groggy, underslept mind, anyway.

Ditch all the extra stuff off the BF. Keep only the mudguards.

Get some Rainlegs. These work fairly well. But if the weather is really wet then of course you probably know that everything will get at least damp. A large Ortlieb saddle bag is what is popular with the audax crowd - waterproof with plenty space. For 80mi over two days, I would carry my ultra-light rain jacket, some light weight arm warmers for under the jacket because I dislike the feeling of clammy nylon against the skin, maybe another thin top layer to pull on when it gets unseasonably cold (although I find when riding, the continuous activity is more than enough even in continuous rain to keep me warm). All that stuff except the Rainlegs fits in the jersey pockets along with my road food and I don't even need a big saddle bag.

Another thing: train by riding 60mi or longer rides to increase the size of the legs' fuel tank. That I think is one of the most crucial items, and won't leave you stuffed at the end of day 1.

Biologic post rack and commute bag ..... they shoud fit ....
https://www.thorusa.com/accessories/handlebar.htm
couple extra velcro waterbottle holders and you should be set

:-)
that bag is nicely made .....

thor

How about keeping the back rack on and getting one of those bags? https://www.topeak.com/products/Bags/MTXTrunkBagEXP
You may want to have a few more things with you, if the weather sucks. Like extra pair of bike shorts, so you don't ride in wet ones.
And you could keep the extra water bottle in the bag, if you don't have a second mount.

If you decide you want to use the front rack, you can borrow mine, B.

I really like the idea of those Rainlegs.

Anyone know where to get them in Toronto/Vancouver?

https://www.rainlegs.com/en/home

Canada,? appears you may have to import from source , in NL.

How about a Camelback type of solution? Nothing to hang on the bike and probably lighter in relation to capacity of both the liquids and spare gear.

I have ridden the Seattle to Vancouver and the only big hill I remember is the one coming into Vancouver! Wife has an Osprey pack (REI) which has a camelback built into it. Pack is just the right size to stash leg and arm warmers and rain jacket after it quits raining (usually august!) and the sun comes out. I use a waist pack that I got on an STP (Seattle to Portland) many years ago. Racks and packs and water bottles are just not necessary on these types of rides.