spinconn

I am tentatively planning for my first short tour, which would be the Silver Comet-Chief Ladiga trail in GA and AL. It is 95 miles and I would go out and back for a total of 190, sometime this spring.

As I said, I have no touring experience but am planning on riding my mountain bike and travelling light, using motels and diners and fast food joints. I know everyone has their own idea of what "light" consists of but I am thinking of cycling clothes, as they can be hand washed and hang dried easily overnight. So I would only bring money, minimal toiletries, rain gear and one change of clothes.

My problem is I have no place to see bike bags in person and must order on line and I have no clue what I should be looking at. My uninformed guess is that a frame bag and seat bag would be sufficient and I should not need panniers but I am just guessing. I would appreciate some info on what others use for bags for credit card touring.

Also, there are some brand names for other equipment that are proven and reliable, such as Brooks saddles, for example. Is there also a brand name or two that are generally respected for bike bags?

Russ Roth

My use is still limited as I've been trying to switch from panniers to cut weight but I've got the Moosetreks frame bag. It holds 2 sets of street clothes and a set of cycling as well as a backpacking towel. This means I have the clothes I'm riding in, the next days riding clothes, street clothes for the first night and street clothes to wear the second night while I wash the three outfits. Doesn't hold anything more then that. I've got an SKS handlebar bag that holds wallet, raincoat, battery pack for recharging the cell 4 times, and small soap, shampoo, etc. Not a big bag. I've got a top tube bag which is also moosetrek which holds granola bars, and snackage, the top of the bag has a clear vinyl cutout that the cell phone fits into and can be used or viewed for maps. Seat bag, was whatever the LBS had, holds spare tube, levers, CO2, and multitool. Since I don't credit card it I have an SKS beam rack which has a fitted trunk bag for my stove, plate, cup, utensils, pots, and lighter; tent and sleeping bag strap to the top. Bike can handle a full rack but I'm trying to cut weight; CC tour would let me ditch the beam rack and get along fine. I've only done the moosetreks for one tour of 5 days but they worked well.

indyfabz

If you’re not going to be taking a second set of cycling clothes then you don’t need space for them.

Papa Tom

This may sound oversimplified, but I spent WAY too long researching bags for my overnight trips and, in the end, somebody told me to just buy the Topeak MTX DXP Trunk Bag/Pannier & compatible Topeak Explorer Rack and shut up...and I am still ecstatic about this purchase after almost three years.

My "tours" are not even as many miles as yours. I usually take a ride of 50 miles or less, stay in a hotel overnight, and ride back the next day. This is always in the summer, when clothing needs are minimal, so the Topeak bags are plenty sufficient. Be sure to spend the few extra dollars and get the DXP (rather than the smaller DX) version, though. You will be glad you did when you try to get an extra pair of shoes or a souvenir of your ride in there.

The MTX bag has two fold-out panniers that can stay in the upright position if you don't need them...but you WILL. It also slides and locks onto the rack very easily, a convenience you will appreciate when you need to get off the bike for a few minutes to pee inside a convenience store. If you ever decide to use your bike for commuting to and from work, you will REALLY love the Topeak MTX. Make sure your frame has the necessary attachment points ("braze-ons") to support the rack, or that you can get a kit to make that happen.

I'm from New York, but I rode a piece of the Silver Comet right after it opened, I'm guessing in the late 1990's. I don't want to sour your enthusiasm, but I found it boring and aborted after only about ten miles. Has it gotten more interesting since then? I guess it would be different if you were to use it as a route to your destination, rather than as an entertainment source on its own. Anyway, buy the Topeak MTX DXP, don't second-guess it, and have fun!

alan s 

I second Papa Tom on the Topeak MTX DXP recommendation. Only downside is it’s not waterproof, but they make a rain covers for using with the panniers deployed and not deployed. I only have the smaller rain cover for commuting, and have waterproof Ortlieb panniers for long distance touring.

markjenn

My advice is that if your bike can take a rear rack, getting one would be the first step. While you can certainly credit card tour without a rack, having one gives you lots of options - a simply dry bag (which you may already have) strapped to the rack may be all you need, but you can graduate to bigger and more elaborate bags later if you want. I'd also look to have some small bag mounted on the handlebar or stem for ready access. Also puts a little weight forward. Keeping a spare tube, patch kit, CO2 (or small pump), tools and spares in a separate underseat bag also makes a lot of sense as these are things that you should have on every ride.

- Mark

staehpj1 

The problem with coming up with one answer is that exact description can describe a pretty wide range of loads. For some people in some conditions it might mean a jersey pocket, for others it might require as much as a pair of front panniers or maybe more.

With fairly careful packing and reasonable selection of what you carry I think a good sized handlebar bag might be a good answer. For the minimalist it will be spacious and for the heavier packer it will cramp them just enough to prevent too much over packing.

Seat bags like the Carradice bags would work too (as would the bike packing type seat bags), some are much larger than needed for this kind of touring unless you want to carry more than it sounds like, but some would be just right.

GadgetGirlIL

Here is what I used for a trip similar to what you described. I did bring an extra pair of cycling shorts. And I fully anticipate this setup will work just fine for 3-6 day tours as well. My 180 mile round trip was near the end of October so I did carry a bit more gear than I would in the summer months. Temps ranged from ~32 degrees to upper 50 degrees.

Front bag - Dill Pickle - holds spare tire, toiletries, reading glasses - I liked the size and shape and I can still put my hands on the top of the handlebars as opposed to being limited to the hoods or drops
Top tube bag - eoGear Large century bag - holds food that I eat while riding
Feed bag (not visible as I mounted it on right side of handlebars) - Revelate Designs - holds more food that I eat while riding!
Frame bag - Revelate Designs Tangle (medium) - used for my pump, tools, chargers, spare tubes
Seat bag - Timbuk2 Sonoma (scored a deal on Amazon - $25 for the red color! Black was $50) - holds spare clothing, iPad (rain pants are strapped on top of it)

I also invested in 3 Sea to Summit Ultra-Sil Compression Dry Sacks - 1 @ 3.3 Liter, 2 @ 6 Liter - they really helped organize and compress my clothing so it fit into the seat bag

spinconn

"I don't want to sour your enthusiasm, but I found it boring and aborted after only about ten miles. Has it gotten more interesting since then? I guess it would be different if you were to use it as a route to your destination, rather than as an entertainment source on its own." Papa Tom

Boy am I glad you said that. I find new scenery one of the best parts of cycling and I had not even considered it. I was concentrating on finding a trail (bike, MUP, or off road) without traffic that was long enough for a few days, had motels and food along the way and was close to home. But I am still over 5 hours away from Silver Comet so I may as well look a little farther away. I will spend some time first researching the trail to see how it is now for scenery and other interest factors.

I also appreciate the advice on the Topeak MTX DXP, as well as the other advice from others. I had anticipated getting recommendations for the kinds of bags bikepackers use off road but not so far. Since they carry camping gear and food and I will not I figured there would be plenty of space without having to add a rack.

With no experience I have been reading about touring for info and there is a lot of material on picking a bike and other gear but I have been having trouble getting info on how to choose bags. I appreciate the help.

Jim from Boston

I have posted previously to this thread,

Papa Tom

I found that having no experience with touring was one of my best assets when I started out! I have been touring (if that's what you call the types of overnight credit card trips I do) on a heavy-as-a-tank 1996 GT Outpost mountain bike since the late 1990's. In the early days, I used a $25 Walmart knock-off of the Topeak panniers I described in my post and it was just fine until it fell apart. If I had held off on taking my first trip until I was absolutely sure I had the right bike and the right gear, I'd have probably never hit the road and I'd still be regretting it all these decades later.

If you plan on touring for weeks or months at a time in the future -- and if that might include camping - I would totally disregard everything I have said. But if you think your Silver Comet ride is the type of thing you will probably stick with, do yourself a favor and don't overthink the gear like I used to.

Regarding the trail itself, please ask others for input before scratching it off your list. I haven't been there in a very long time, and it was brand-new then, so they may have added some cool stuff by now.

mstateglfr 

I would figure out how much stuff you need to bring, then start looking for carrying solutions based on what you need. Yes you will want to have room in case you actually like this and want to do it again with more stuff, but figuring out what you want to bring for this first trip will help you understand how much space you need.

If you want to bring 30 liters of stuff, then frame bags may not work out and panniers may be better.
If you want to bring 5 liters of stuff, then there are dozens of bags that will work.

take a box, measure it to figure out its capacity, then fill it to find out what space you need.

nun

My solution is a Carradice Barley saddlebag and an Ortlieb Classic handlebar bag, but just about any bikepacking type saddlebag and a handlebar bag of some sort should work just fine.

tcs

I'd forgo a rack and skip the fit issues of frame bags. I'd go with a saddlebag. This is just your first of many tours so I'd get a larger one and cinch it up when only partially filled with this tour's minimal dunnage (they're designed to do this).



In saddlebags there are lots of good choices, but it's hard to go wrong with Carradice (approaching their 90th anniversary).

tcs

Never ridden it, but I dunno, seems nice enough to me:


There's an amazing world of journeys just waiting out there, but it's hard to think of another first tour recommendation in the USA of that length, traffic-free, 'sometime in the spring'. Hmm. Maybe the eastern completed portion of the Florida coast-to-coast?

https://floridadep.gov/sites/default...%207.24.19.pdf

Papa Tom

Again, I'm a New Yorker and I haven't ridden the Comet since it opened (I still have a very cool, very high-quality T-shirt to prove it!), so don't go by my comments alone. Regarding the video, I have taken the worst, most "blah" bicycle rides ever and made very enjoyable videos and digital slide shows out of them. You can't go by that, either, so get as many first-hand comments as you can before you make a decision. In fact, don't spend another minute researching bags. It's the RIDE that counts!

daoswald

Those large seat bags look like a nice option if you don't have a rack.

I have a Tubus Cargo Evo rack on my hybrid bike, and I have a Tubus Fly Evo that fits my road bike when needed (I usually don't have it installed).

If you have a rack, you cannot go wrong with a pannier from Ortlieb. You could probably get away fine with a single one. I bought a pair of Ortlieb Bike Shopper panniers for commuting, but I find that now that I have them, I use them a lot; trips to the store, picnic with the kids, etc. Often one is all that is needed, though. For example, commuting to work I bring my laptop, a jacket, and a few other work essentials in a single pannier. I use the second pannier for trips to the store, or for if my kids want to bring stuff to the park; roller blades, jackets, extra water, food, whatever.

So.... for your single purpose of doing an overnighter with a credit card and hotel stay, the large bike-packing seat bag is probably a great option. But if you're looking for a way to unlock a little more utility usage from your bike, plus have the ability to do an overnighter or even multi-nighter, panniers are great.

Ortlieb Back Rollers are the large ones that you see people using touring. They're almost indestructible, and have great capacity. The Bike Shopper from Ortlieb is also great. They're not as large, but still water proof and indestructible. Ortlieb panniers lift off your rack with a single pull of a strap/handle, and attach just as easily; drop them in place.

Don't let the "Bike Shopper" name dissuade you. To me it's a name that completely fails in the area of "snob appeal", and also type-casts them for a single purpose. What they really are is a waterproof zip-top style heavy duty pannier, similar to Back Rollers except that they don't roll up to close. The zipper is hard to explain how it works, but it is both durable and impervious to leaking.

Anyway, don't go out and buy a rack for just one ride. But if you think you might be doing this more often, or if you want to use your bike for carrying stuff sometimes, panniers are nice to have. I hadn't expected to use them as much as I do. But at this point I mostly just leave at least one of them on the hybrid all the time. Also, I've ridden with them pretty good distances. They don't seem to create a lot of drag. There is some aerodynamic penalty, but they are situated in the wind-shadow of the rider's legs, so they're not as much of a drag as you might think. And they sit lower to the ground than a bike saddle pack, which helps with stability.

If you do go this route, I know there are a lot of rack options out there, but for up to 45 pounds, the Tubus Fly Evo is a perfect rack for carrying panniers. Light, minimal, you can leave it on the bike all the time and forget it's there. If you want a rack that can carry as much weight as you would ever want to, the Tubus Cargo Evo is excellent.

dualresponse

Lots of good feedback.

As a credit card touring 'expert' myself, I'd say go light as possible,

With that in mind, before you buy, consider this- do you have any other rides you think you might do in the future? For example, longer rides? etc... If that's the case, perhaps a rear rack and rear bags would be the bomb. For the ride you mentioned, a rack and one rear bag would be enough, but the platform gives huge flexibility, and would integrate into future possibilities.

One thing I like about a rack, it that with a mesh tie down, you can pretty much tie whatever you want to it. Tonight, it was warm, and my jacket was sweaty, so I tied my jacket to it. I could have just as easily tied a bottle of water, wine, or a some food from a store (to take back to hotel) , etc.

That's not knocking the rear seatpost bag setup. of handlebar bag.... I like that too. Lighter, keep it simple..etc...

Another idea- lay out all the stuff you think you need on a table. Second pair of shorts/jersey/light rain jacket, real shirt/shorts/socks/(apre ride/dinner) toothbrush... How much space does it take up? Let this guide the decision. For your ride, you don't need much.

edit- One thing I like in the pics above is the top tube bag. That's a great place to store food/ goo's etc.. to keep it separated from your main gear. You don't want your spent gels/power bar wrappers mixed with your main gear.

Papa Tom

Not that this was intended to be a "what should I pack" thread, but given that this is your first tour, may I recommend that, for the ride "out," you wear as many articles as you can of old clothing that you can throw away when you reach your destination? I try to save torn socks, t-shirts, and undershorts for "one more wear" on my overnight trips. Instead of tossing them on any old day of the year, I wear them to ride to my destination, then, instead of packing these wet, smelly rags with the rest of my stuff for the ride home, I trash them in the hotel room. If you have a second set of tattered clothing, pack them to wear at night when you change for dinner or whatever and discard them, too, when you take them off. This will not only make the ride home lighter, but will give you room to pack things you might pick up along the way.

Regarding the Topeak bags vs. any of the Ortlieb stuff: As far as I know, Ortlieb (which makes fantastic bags) only makes roll-up style bags; that is, large bags that you pack everything into one compartment then roll the bag up to keep everything dry and safely tucked away. The Topeak starts as a simple trunk bag with a single small compartment and some extra space in the zipped-up panniers. If you need more space, you can zip down one or both panniers and pack away. Having multiple compartments means you can store quick-access items like snacks, a pump, tools, camera, etc. on one side and clothing, shoes, toiletries, etc. on the other. You'll appreciate this after you've toured once. Although Ortliebs seem to be made solid, I could never us them for credit card touring.

nun

Here's an idea for credit carding it, no cooking and staying in hotels or couch surfing. Total weight is 7.5lbs. There's even room left in the Barley saddlebag for quite a bit of food like tortillas, cheese, salami etc and snacks can always be carried in jersey pockets too. Add a handlebar bag for extra room if you want it.

Wallet with cards and money
iPhone, earphones, backup battery and charger
Multitool
Spare tube and patch kit
Pump
Rain jacket
Patagonia long sleeve shirt
Running tights
Socks
Underwear
Balaclava
Gloves
Shower cap
Small cable lock
First aid kit
Bic lighter
Front and rear lights
Emergency mylar blanket
Toilet kit
Pen and notebook
Nylon backpack (in case I need to carry extra stuff)

On bike or worn (not shown)
2x 1L water bottles
Sunglasses
One set of clothes

spinconn

This has been extremely helpful reading these informative posts and going on with additional research. Based on the kind of riding I will be doing in addition to this first tour I have ordered the Topeak MTX DXP bag and Topeak Explorer with Discs rack.

I picked spring based on my local weather but I am retired and can go anytime I feel ready. Looking at both trails, I think the FL Coast to Coast and the Silver Comet in GA-AL will both be enjoyable and logistically convenient. I now think the biggest remaining challenge will be a reasonably secure place to park my pick up truck for several days. I will probably post a separate thread for that but any info on parking will be most appreciated.

I know this is very tame for you experienced tourers but am getting pretty excited about this.

Papa Tom

Congratulations on your purchase. Always remember to wrap the little bungees at the bottom of the bags to the "Y" shaped extensions on your rack (see below). This keeps them from flopping around (or worse, getting stuck in the spokes) while you're riding.




Enjoy your trip, and don't belittle it because some of the people here spend months at a time touring exotic places. Maybe you (or I) will do that someday, but for now, go out and get the bug for touring. You will probably want to start planning your next trip the day you get home!.

meyers66

Good advice. This forum taught me to spend time on the body contact points first.

Ease into to the ride by setting limits to only the present ride. Topeak gear works well for me. Seat bag, rear DX rack, floor pump, etc Good enough. A plastic bag solves waterproof problems. Since I bought my Ortlieb front paneers bikepacking seems to be the rage. The seat bag and handle bar bag are the focus. Make your ride comfortable so you continue to do it. Brooks 67 with springs works for me. Just my .02.

hokiefyd 

I think you'll be happy with that purchase. I was going to recommend at least the Topeak MTX rack, because you can hang traditional pannier bags from it (or strap a minimalist trunk bag to the top) like any other rack...but you can also use the slide-in MTX bags if you want to, which really are nice. I have the same setup (rack and DXP bag) and, though I haven't "toured" with it yet, I have carried a lot of stuff in there. We did do about 15 miles around the Tidal Basin area in DC on peak cherry blossom weekend earlier this year (2019). I had our picnic lunch (for 8) in the main compartment, and bottles of water (for 8) in each of the zip-out panniers.

Another tip: I also keep two CVS First Aid Kit case bags in there. The website doesn't show the inside, but they zip open and have some pockets inside. You buy them empty for 4 bucks and fill them yourself. I use one for medical supplies (including bug spray, sun block, Neosporin, bandages, etc.) and then I have the other one for bike tools (CO2 cartridges, multi tool, bead jack, tire scabs, etc.). This way, the kit bags are portable and keep all my stuff organized. And I can move them around and put them at the bottom of a pannier bag if I want to use the main compartment for something else.

u235

For my 3-5 day CC rides I bungy a compression bag on the top of my rack, a small frame bag, and a medium handlebar bag. My trips are usually trail so I adjust my pack for extra water and potentially fixing a problem or worst case doing a 3-15 mile bug infested push to the nearest road if I can't. The white bottle (old malted milk container I think) in my downtube is water proof and carries all of my "dense" tools and loose things like multitool, der hanger, patch kit, wire, zip ties, etc.. I put rubber bands or pieces of old inner tube around a lot of things. It helps from rattling around and the extra grip can keep them from sliding around. I've never had a problem with the compression bag getting wet inside and putting it in a small garbage bag or a large bread bag will provide some insurance and keep it clean.