I just got back from a one-week self-supported tour and along the way, I had three different comments about the gear load on my bike. A bike shop owner told me the load looked reasonable. A couple on a longer tour were surprised by how little I had. A non-cyclist wondered why I would carry so much stuff with me.

This got me wondering. When you're on a bike tour, is your load normally smaller or larger than other cyclists you encounter?

In the last year, smaller. Down to about 25 lbs in two panniers and a rack pack, with room to spare. The Tour Easy lets me carry as much water as conditions demand, up to 10 liters, without a drop in the panniers, leaving plenty of room for food. Rarely have need for more than 2 liters of water. Buy food as needed, except for an emergency supply.

How much did you take by weight & volume? I usually do 30+ lbs, 2 rear panniers, 1 rear rack bag & sleep bag strapped to a front rack. (excludes water and daily pickup of food.

I'm amazed how much stuff people will take with them. On the G.A.P. & C&O, I've seen bikers with front, rear & bob trailer loaded for a week long trip. Tried to talk to a couple of them about it but they didn't want to stop (they had to make their miles.....).

I learned that I don't need to take so much stuff. Unlike backpacking, while biking I can stop off at stores along the way and buy more clothes or equipment as needed, when needed.

Depends on what I am planning and doing, however my typical load for regular touring is ~30#. The lightest has been in the 10# range but that was basically credit card touring. Worst was 70# on a winter expedition trip.

Aaron

I almost always carry less than others I meet, or talk to for that matter. I have a standard level of equipment I take. It has worked for years whether it's a weekend or 2 week trip. Anything more becomes dead weight unless I bring a fly rod.

Marc

That's too scary!

Marc

I have carried a variety of loads. On my first tour (Trans America) I had about 45 pounds of gear. I dropped stuff and got lighter gear on each subsequent tour. Last tour (Southern Tier) I had 14 pounds of gear at the start. I has about a pound less at the end because my crocs went awol and I lost or disposed of a few small items

I think on the TA we met mostly folks with a similar amount of gear, but some had more and some less. Recent tours I have has less gear than everyone I met.

FWIW I have found that as I have gone lighter I have not missed the stuff left behind and I like the lighter items better than what they replaced.

I've got my basic load for cc tours to about 10 lbs. If I've camping, I have another 10 lbs for tent, bag, pad, cooking gear, and chair. Use to carry way more, but realized that if I really need something, there are plenty of stores along the way.

I went back and looked at some of my packing lists from my various trips. My gear load when I did transcontinental in 1977 was nearly 50# some of that was spares that I don't typically carry anymore. Also somethings in the equipment list have been replaced by lighter more modern items. In 1977 I was lugging a Svea 123 stove and a quart fuel bottle. Today I carry a Triangia/Clikstand combo and buy fuel a pint at a time along the way. That is over a pound in savings right there. I have done similar things with sleeping bag, tent, tools, etc.

Aaron

From lurking in this forum I have the impression that touring cyclist seek the right balance of utility vs weight. I'm wondering, in line with OP's question, about those who tour with the minimum weight of items which they absolutely need. I guess even credit card touring would fit here, because surely you take something in addition to the card, right?

By volume, I have two rear panniers and a handlebar bag. The sleeping pad, tent and a small bag with rainwear and a couple of spare tubes are strapped on top of the rear rack. I'm not sure of the weight. For some non-camping tours, the load is down to the rear panniers, loosely packed.

On one tour, I used front panniers as well, but that was a much more isolated trip and I needed to have more food and more rough weather gear.

One thing I'll do is to go over my gear when I get home. If there was something I brought but didn't use, I'll think carefully about whether I need it for the next time. Some things, such as tools and rainwear, are essentials, but others can be left behind.

Heavy Mode (Four bags with the pad on top of the rear rack):

Larger by volume because I hate packing origami and forgo compression sacks. Weight is about the same as most folks.

I'm really starting to think about getting a water pump because hauling a gallon of water + bottles up a 5000ft pass to a dry camp stinks.


Medium Mode (Two front with a pad and day pack on top of the rear):


I have never done credit card and don't have the gear for ultra-light.

I'm not as extreme as the multiple panniers plus trailer folks mentioned above. However, I'd probably be slightly above average on what I carry. Mostly because I carry a little extra on contingencies. For example, I might plan a mostly credit card tour - but don't set my hotel reservations - so in places where accommodations are a little further apart, my credit card list might also include a bivy sack and light sleeping bag in case I get stuck. That isn't an issue if accommodations are closer than every 45miles apart.

I've learned to pack with a checklist and that keeps some extraneous stuff and too much extra clothes down, but I'd expect to be just slightly above the median amount of stuff.

We're each currently running with a pair of panniers with each pair having total capacity of 56 litres. I have a tent and groundsheet, plus my croc knockoffs and the bike lock on the rear rack. I have a handlebar bag on the front. Machka has a Carradice Nelson longflap across the rear rack, and a smaller handlebar bag that I.

My current weight is around 46-3/4 pounds (21.2kg). That includes a netbook computer plus associated charger, a video camera with two high capacity batteries, and 5-1/2lb three-person tent. It's probably at the limit of what is appropriate to handle as far as the extensive airline travel we are undertaking. We've already paid weight penalties on one airline, although we did take this into account with our budgeting.

There also are the additions that will inevitably go into the load, including paperwork, and the occasional souvenir. There is still room to pack food.

Lately my idea of touring involves a handlebar bag full of food, a seat bag with tubes and tools, 3 water bottles, a credit card and motels. I'm trying to convince my boys to go on a fully loaded tour next summer though...

Size should only matter to you.

My bicycle loaded weighs between 49 and 50 lbs. (bathroom scales) more than it does stripped. This weight includes fenders, racks, panniers (4), handlebar bag, camping stuff, clothes, lights, emergency rations, tools, spare tube, spare spokes,and a bear vault. I do camp in black bear country, but the vault keeps the skunks and coons out of my toothpaste. I experienced critters gnawing my tent, panniers, and toothpaste tube once, but no did a week mostly in the Smoky Mountains a couple of weeks ago, and other than the winter layer for my hammock (that I should have removed before I left), I had nothing that I won't pack the next time.