Light touring essentials
#26
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 920
Likes: 1
From: Canada
Bikes: 2012 Masi Speciale CX : 2013 Ghost 29er EBS
Hey experts,
I have some future plans of light touring (2-3 days at a time. Camping). What would your minimal list look like? Include the obvious if you would (tent, sleeping bag, types of food/drink, repair supplies, etc.). Also, these rides won't be in the middle of nowhere. I'd be passing through decent sized towns along the way.
Thoughts on your essentials?
I have some future plans of light touring (2-3 days at a time. Camping). What would your minimal list look like? Include the obvious if you would (tent, sleeping bag, types of food/drink, repair supplies, etc.). Also, these rides won't be in the middle of nowhere. I'd be passing through decent sized towns along the way.
Thoughts on your essentials?
My advise to you is simple. Use your early weekend or 2-3 day tours to build experience. It's fine to be slightly overloaded during your beginning tours. Almost every expert tourer I have known thus far had, in one way or another, been overloaded. Bring as much as you feel that you will enjoy on the tour with and then on your next tour, re-evaluate what you can bring without or be without.
In terms of repair supplies. You should bring only tools you know how to use to repair your bike with. I have met so many newbies out there who have every single repair tool (chain tool, spoke wrench, spanner, etc plus a flat repairing kit and a repair book) they brought along only to expect to repair like a bike mechanic expert by reading a book on the spot!! Know how to change a flat or fix flat. Know how to change a spoke and then true the wheel in the field. If you don't know how to fix your bike, then all those tools you bring are simply dead weight. So before you plan on going on a longer tour, try your hands by servicing your own bike rather than rely on a shop to do this for you. The more you are familiar with the bike, the more you can be self-sufficient.
Lastly, the lighter you want to go touring wise, more comfort will be sacrificed. Some people can be in the least comfortable, but tour light. I once met a french guy who toured worldwide just with a fur coat and a garbage bag. Seemed like a happy guy and seemed to do just fine. I pale in comparison with 2 small panniers and 2 medium panniers with all my camping, tools and stuff during my 8000 miles trip against his just 1 garbage bag.
Last edited by pacificcyclist; 07-22-11 at 01:50 PM.
#27
Senior Member


Joined: May 2003
Posts: 1,787
Likes: 1
From: Hampton Roads VA
Bikes: '07 Trek 520, '09 Gary Fisher Triton, '04 Trek 8000, '85 Trek 500, '84 Trek 610, '85 Trek 510, '88 Trek 660, '92 Trek 930, Trek Multitrack 700
While this site is aimed more at off road riding, there is good info for lite-weight " bikepacking " here. https://www.bikepacking.net/
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"When I hear another express an opinion, which is not mine, I say to myself, He has a right to his opinion, as I to mine; why should I question it. His error does me no injury, and shall I become a Don Quixot to bring all men by force of argument, to one opinion? If a fact be misstated, it is probable he is gratified by a belief of it, and I have no right to deprive him of the gratification."
T. Jefferson
"When I hear another express an opinion, which is not mine, I say to myself, He has a right to his opinion, as I to mine; why should I question it. His error does me no injury, and shall I become a Don Quixot to bring all men by force of argument, to one opinion? If a fact be misstated, it is probable he is gratified by a belief of it, and I have no right to deprive him of the gratification."
T. Jefferson





