What a beautiful organized bicycle touring set-up... one for the magazine covers!

@domdino, you might find that without the shoulder straps to tie the top ends of your Ortliebs down the sides they leak a bit in heavy rain. The straps are not just for carrying the bags.

z

Could you explain a little more, please? How do you tie the top ends? I don't use my straps either, just leave them at home. I've never had a problem in the rain, but maybe there's room for improvement.

Excellent use of Sea-to-Summit dry sack. I mount mine transversely

lucille, all he means is that when you have the long straps attached to the clips, and after rolling the top shut and you bring the strap down to the hook on the side of the bag, it pulls the bag "ends" down tight to the body of the bag. I personally never used the straps like this in daily use in all the years using Ortliebs, but I can see that in a really bad rain, combined with perhaps not rolling the top down enough or tightly enough, using the straps in their intended way could be a little better for keeping rain out.
Again, in all the years commuting with these bags, I never bothered as it is a bit slower to do up and to loosen to get stuff out and put in, so I either just bent the tops up and clicked them to each other after rolling, or even just rolled and attached the top middle strap thing (especially if not raining)

hope that it clear (ish)

Thanks for the tip Z, i'll definitely keep that in mind when it starts raining... they'll probably be packed a little bit higher/tighter when we actually leave with food etc. i guess i'll play it by ear i'm in the habit of packing everything inside in large ziplock bags anyway if any water does trickle in! Can't wait!!!!

hopefully you can tell from these three pictures what he means.

My loaded rig, a Surly Disc Trucker with Arkel bags:

My loaded rig, a Surly Disc Trucker with Arkel bags:

Hunter 29er

Thanks, djb! I usually clip the two ends together, but will try out the other way.

I dig it!!!!

2009 Surly LHT
Racktime bag set.
Outdoor Research compression drybag on front rack holds sleeping bag.

Here's my Giant X-1500 on my last trip around Saaremaa and Muhu islands (Estonia). Ortlieb bike packer classics on the rear rack and 2 sleepingpads on the front rack. Since i wasn' t travelling alone (we were 2), i didn' t need the front panniers and didnt need to carry a tent on my bike, but on short solo trips it would be on the front rack where the second sleeping pad sits in the picture.

Waterford 1900, all Arkeled out on shakedown ride before self supported Skyline/Blue Ridge tour end of Sept '12

Here's my Surly LHT out for it's maiden voyage ride. Ortlieb bikepacker bags in the back, frontroller plus in the front, and matching handlebar bag. Garmin GPSmap 62s, a honey B17 Champion Special, and a couple of bottle cages and that's it. Did about 150 miles on Saturday/Sunday and loved every one of 'em. Great bike and much thanks to great advice and discussion from these forums over the years.

Hi there...
Here is a picture of my bike from my latest long (not so long ) ride to my hometown (actually village )



Kona Smoke 26" ( a gift from my friend)
I didn't have a full couple of front pannier, so i just mount sleeping bags + rain coat at front rack

Good thinking!

Palo alto to Sausalito short Tour- 81 miles with Caltrain
-------------------------------
Today I started at 5am and left for my journey to sausalito, I packed a gallon of water, a lock, a big ziplock bag of powerbars and cliffbars(yummy). I rode my usual route up to the SFO airport in millbrae , that was the easy part. I GPS a route around the airport using my iphone but it took some time to plan it out. Once i got pass the 101 highway i had to navigate through some industrial areas, but after that i hit 3rd street, this is pretty high stress area to ride a bike and watch out for cars and climb a good degree of hill at the same time. Once down 3rd street I finally got to King street and it was smooth sailing to the Embarcadero with the piers, i saw a new flea market area that opened up , large amounts of people cluttering up the side walks waiting for food of some kind. With patience and skill riding i made it to the Golden Gate bridge where it was very foggy, so foggy i couldn't see more than 20 ft ahead. over the bridge and down the hill in to Sausalito i went and got to the end of the sausalito-Mill Valley trail in Mill valley. With a nice bathroom break and snacks/water, i rode back up the hill(pretty steep and curvy) and over the Golden Gate bridge and around a few hundred of zombie walking people i reached the Caltrain and got home.

Just got back from a short 2-day loop in Bayfield, WI. This is a nice little inlet and lake superior.

Man it's nice to see all these new people here on the Touring boards. Welcome to the Forums everybody and some mighty nice rigs you guys got there.

Just did the Kettle Valley/Columbia & Western Trails in BC with my wife as our honeymoon - Castlegar to Penticton over a leisurely 7 days. Here's my beloved 2000 Marin Palisades Trail loaded. Ortliebs in back, cheap but functional MEC lowriders in front.

Your wife must love you and trust you very much. Camping trips as honeymoons don't always work out so well.

But...on your honeymoon your "beloved" is your bike???

Beautiful pic. Redwoods NP? Looks like the perfect backdrop to a nice ride.