I tried to tour on a very cheap budget. I got a used road bike for $500, panniers, rack, and handlebar bag for $100, hammock for $200, shoes/pedals for $100, sleeping bag/pad for $100 (was cold), pump, tools, Trangia, and miscellaneous stuff was about $200.

All told that comes to around $1200 which I think is very cheap.

I can totally identify with this thread. Over the winter, I decided to rebuild my Bob Jackson touring frame for loaded touring. I had previously used it for commuting until I picked up a nicer Waterford sport touring frame last summer. Since I already had the frame, some touring wheels, saddle, seatpost and bunch of other parts, I figured it would be a relatively inexpensive project. Wrong!

The build itself cost about $600 because I had to buy some new parts -- rear derailleur, cassette, head set, bar-end shifters, canti brakes. Add to that some used parts I picked up for good prices, but still cost money -- namely Sugino triple crankset and bottom bracket. I thought I was just about done because I already had a Tubus Cargo rear rack and Nitto mini front rack, but I still had to buy some rear panniers (Ortlieb Classic Rollers). When I got to loading up the touring bike, I quickly realized that I had too much weight in the rear using my old camping gear (tent, sleeping bag, ground pad). So I then had to turn around and spend $200 on a lighter tent (REI Quarter Dome), $100 on a Tubus Tara front rack, $100 on Ortlieb front panniers, and $75 on a Thermarest Neo ground pad.

Hopefully I am finally ready to actually tour on the bike, and I'm planning a mini-tour this weekend to state park on a lake about 50 miles from home. I hope that I like it because I've had to spend an awful lot of money just to get started.

I used the word overnight, but it referred to temperatures not trip length. My list is for my next tour of about three weeks. It is very close to what I took on my San Diego to Sarasota tours.

I'd take the same stuff pretty much regardless of tour length. That said, I have thus far not been interested in tours shorter than a week or so. They don't really appeal to me. I might consider one if it was an opportunity ride ride with someone I want to ride with otherwise probably not.

I did a simular cost evaluation i got an old 10 speed for free turned it into a single speed for free but needed new bars/stem a new seat brake pads added clipless pedals and shoes, pump, tool pack, garmin 800, commuter backpack, bike shorts, ect you get the point how fast the cost addes up.

Oh okay. I usually carry extra change of clothing for extended tours on top of what I carry for an overnighter, but not by much. I usually use short trips like an overnighter to test proof of concept and new gear before going for a long one, so I do value 1 or 2 night trips.

Some of my stuff is 20 years old, so not listing prices.

A couple years ago I talked to a bike tourist that was going the opposite direction that I was going. He was 85 years old and said that he liked to go on a bike tour each year. His bike was not a very good bike, I think Walmart sells better stuff. He did not have panniers, had the big steel wire baskets instead. Rest of his stuff was of similar value. But he was having a great time. As we parted I had two thoughts: (1) I paid more for panniers and racks than he paid for his whole outfit and (2) I hope I am still enjoying bike touring as much as he was when I am 85 years old.

I do not tour on my grocery store bike, bought it at a garage sale last year. It had been stored outside for over 10 years since his son had moved out. He had to get a sawzall to cut down a 2 inch diameter tree that had grown up through the frame before I could take it. But, I now have a great $5 bike for going to the grocery store. But, needed new chain, pedals, bottom bracket, seat, grips, tires, tubes, rim tape, a front generic friction shifter and some cables. So, my $5 bike is now up to about $100, not counting labor.

Tourist, thats a nice looking bike for 100 bucks. I like finding stuff like that and fixing it up as well.

As to touring gear costs, I can't give any specifics, as most of my gear was purchased at thrift stores, yard sales and clearance sales from rei and other stores. Off the top of my head here is my cost analysis.

I mostly tour on a 198? Univega Gran Turismo, that I paid 40 for at a yard sale. Had the original tires and everything, one owner, 200 miles. lots has changed on it now, but things like the crank, stem, even the 700c rims and hubs came off other bikes I have found at the recycler. The only new purchases were the seat post, chain, tires, bar tape, spokes and the brake levers. All that came to about 100, not including the tires, wich were about 60. The racks were four dollars each at a store that sells overstocked or surplus merchandise. Figure 200 bucks. My other light tourer(81 Centurion Elite) was about 250, all vintage nos exept for the tires, feewheel and chain.
My panniers(Jandd expedition)were a five dollar find at a thrift store, a great find, and some avenirs on the front that were marked way down to 25. When I go lightweight I use bags that I sewed myself from nylon taffeta that was a dollar a yard on a sale rack.
A Marmot tent was a floor model with some damage, 20 bucks and some work on the sewing machine and its good to go, but I sometimes take a Eureka ZeusII that was half off. My hammock was 30, a Byers of Maine. Paid full price for my Big Agnes air core, about 65 or seventy. Full price for my snowpeak stove and Brunton mini cookset. Sleeping bags are a North Face Wasatch, on sale at Bass Pro for 50, and a homemade quilt sewn from nylon and silk, stuffed with down from an old sleeping bag. Stuff sacks and the like about 75 dollars.

Clothing is mostly teck shirts from various rides, and light fishing pants/shorts from the Bass Pro shops, purchased for ten bucks or so at thier outlet store. Three pair of those padded liners at 25 bucks each, but I could do without those if I had to. They are a luxury. A super old Marmot Precip, 80 with a coupon. Old tennis shoes with quill pedals, sometimes shimano mtb clip pedals, I paid about 35 for them as a take off item at a bike shop.

Its taken four years or so to gather my stuff, and at first everything was just cobbled together on an old Motobecane gran turismo, 35 dollars. Bag was just an old fleece, pepsi can stove(that I still use some times). If I had to get everything together from scratch new, I figure that I would be in the 1700 dollar range. But for me, touring is not an expensive hobby, other than time lost while away.

Tourist, thats a nice looking bike for 100 bucks. I like finding stuff like that and fixing it up as well.

As to touring gear costs, I can't give any specifics, as most of my gear was purchased at thrift stores, yard sales and clearance sales from rei and other stores. Off the top of my head here is my cost analysis.

I mostly tour on a 198? Univega Gran Turismo, that I paid 40 for at a yard sale. Had the original tires and everything, one owner, 200 miles. lots has changed on it now, but things like the crank, stem, even the 700c rims and hubs came off other bikes I have found at the recycler. The only new purchases were the seat post, chain, tires, bar tape, spokes and the brake levers. All that came to about 100, not including the tires, wich were about 60. The racks were four dollars each at a store that sells overstocked or surplus merchandise. Figure 200 bucks. My other light tourer(81 Centurion Elite) was about 250, all vintage nos exept for the tires, feewheel and chain.
My panniers(Jandd expedition)were a five dollar find at a thrift store, a great find, and some avenirs on the front that were marked way down to 25. When I go lightweight I use bags that I sewed myself from nylon taffeta that was a dollar a yard on a sale rack.
A Marmot tent was a floor model with some damage, 20 bucks and some work on the sewing machine and its good to go, but I sometimes take a Eureka ZeusII that was half off. My hammock was 30, a Byers of Maine. Paid full price for my Big Agnes air core, about 65 or seventy. Full price for my snowpeak stove and Brunton mini cookset. Sleeping bags are a North Face Wasatch, on sale at Bass Pro for 50, and a homemade quilt sewn from nylon and silk, stuffed with down from an old sleeping bag. Stuff sacks and the like about 75 dollars.

Clothing is mostly teck shirts from various rides, and light fishing pants/shorts from the Bass Pro shops, purchased for ten bucks or so at thier outlet store. My "dress shirt" is one of two sewn my my grandmother out of ultra thin nyon. Three pair of those padded liners at 25 bucks each, but I could do without those if I had to. They are a luxury. A super old Marmot Precip, 80 with a coupon. Old tennis shoes with quill pedals, sometimes shimano mtb clip pedals, I paid about 35 for them as a take off item at a bike shop.

Its taken four years or so to gather my stuff, and at first everything was just cobbled together on an old Motobecane gran turismo, 35 dollars. Bag was just an old fleece, pepsi can stove(that I still use some times). If I had to get everything together from scratch new, I figure that I would be in the 1700 dollar range. But for me, touring is not an expensive hobby, other than time lost while away.

I seldom pay full price for gear if I can find it used or on clearance sale. That is the case with my Ortliebs they were "last year's" model and I got them for about half off at REI. My newest "tour" bike is a 1989. I actually have two that I consider tour bikes. One is a 1989 Giant Excursion which I bought new in 1991 for ~$350 (about half off of what they sold for new). The other is a 1989 Giant Iguana that I purchased new in 1989 and have since converted to expedition use.

There are so many ways to save money if you really work at it. I am always impressed by the VW Vagabonds and the way they outfitted their tour for nearly nothing.

Aaron

I have not kept track of what my stuff costs. I try not to settle for less than what I want. My first touring rig was bought on a budget. There were some issues. Now I have enough money to try and buy stuff that has no issues. I'm not rich by any means. However, when you consider certain factors I don't think I'm extravagent.

Bike touring stuff might have a high initial cost but it lasts for years. My last touring rig served me well for 15 years. It probably had another 15 years in it easy, however I gave it all to my nephew when I bought replacements. He hasn't been as dedicated a tourer as me, but he did do one big tour from Vancouver to San Francisco with my bike, racks, and panniers. He didn't have a single equipment issue.

My travel costs, once I get on the road, are far less than my friends who fly, rent cars, stay in hotels, etc. I'm sure I eat more than most people, but I cook my own dinners and first breakfasts, and the roadside cafes I tend to choose are probably much less pricey that the restaurants in cities that my friends choose. One of the biggest expenses is transportation to and from the tour. This year I'm getting a sleeper on Amtrak; I'm splurging! Next year I'm going to try and do a tour where I start and return to my house and cut out all non-bicycle travel costs.

Another cost saving could be health care costs. I'm seldom sick or injured and am in pretty darn good shape for someone my age (61) even if I do say so myself. I'm sure my dedication to bicycling has a lot to do with that.

So I'm not going to deprive myself when it comes to bike touring equipment. And I just don't seem to have the personality to keep track of what I spend. It takes all kinds, right?

There is another significantly influencing factor for people like us -- bicycle touring is our hobby. And people spend money on hobbies that to outsiders seems astronomically silly.

Plus, there is an retained value in what we have that can be recovered by selling it should we have the motivation or need. That should be accounted for at some point, so the figures aren't nearly so high.

BBT also touched on those intrinsic and intangible savings, such as health benefits and lower impact on localised environments.

if i use a tent i use for backpacking, do i chalk the cost up to biking or backpacking, or evenly divide the cost? what if i take the tent car camping, then on a sea kayak trip?

gear costs. buy it. use it. ride.

I did my first tour with a cheap rack, cheap panniers, and threw what i usually took backpacking in. total cost = one set of cheap panniers, one rack.

that was almost 30 years ago.

I've bought more gear since.