Hey folks,

I am going to bike along East Coast next month and wonder what are some of stuff you bring on the touring trip. Please post a list if you are willing to!

Also, any suggestion on what kind of large Panniers to get?

Thanks a lot!

Bill

You can browse the journals of cycle tourists on https://www.crazyguyonabike.com
Many journals have a complete list in the beginning.

Bug repellant and netting if sleeping outdoors. Coming into skeeter season in SE and Mid Atlantic, horseflies will be out soon in New England.

Panniers - if you go big & pack like I tend to do, you will fill the available space and then wonder why the bike is so bloody heavy! Ask a friend with touring or backpacking experience and a penchant for lighter weight (or even ultralight) backpacking to go through all the items you are planning to bring and let them toss out (at least question) every item - may save a few pounds.

My Ortlieb roller closing bags are useful year around and between tours,

the sewn and compartmented bags ( I got Beckman's many ears ago) are not as useful in utility mode.

My packing list for a recent week-long tour here and a retrospective on that here.

Here's a link to my packlist.

Bring as little as possible. If you aren't used to bike touring/backpacking or similar pursuits, one good tip is to assemble your list of all the gear you think you'll need, and then bring no more than half of that. The overwhelming tendency among first time bike tourists and hikers is to bring far too much stuff, which then makes the trip miserable by its weight.

This is from personal experience as well as reading others' accounts and proposed packing lists. When I first started backpacking, my pack probably weighed more than twice what it does now. I enjoy hiking a lot more now...the same is true with my bike packing lists.

As with backpacking, buy your bags last. First get your gear list worked out, and then buy the smallest bag that will fit your gear, with space for consumables like food and the inevitable extra water.

I will agree with Fiets that my Ortliebs get used almost daily, for everything from commuting to grocery shopping, touring and everything in between.

A scale and a spreadsheet can actually be a helpful tool; together, they allow you to more effectively locate and cut weight, plus it doubles as a pack list.

Look at all the packing lists you can, write down all the things that sound like you want to bring, then realize that's 50kg of stuff and pare it down. It seems like a lot of people mail stuff home after a couple of days.

If you not camping, you don't need a tent, sleeping bag or sleeping pad. You may still want a sleeping bag liner if you plan on staying in sketchy motels. Cyclists always seem to end up in a sketchy motel or two.

2-3 changes of bike clothing (depending on your preferences), one set of clothes to wear in public (if you don't want to wear bike clothes everywhere), rain gear, as few electronics as you can get away with. Make a list of repair kit you are comfortable using (tubes, patches, tire levers, multitool, etc) and bring those tools. You won't exactly be in the wilderness on the east coast, so you don't have to bring all the survival gear that Trans-Am people use.

As far as panniers, I love my Ortliebs, but people tour on anything. If you aren't totally bitten by the touring bug yet, get some cheap panniers and upgrade for your next tour.

Thanks for all the great advice and sharing your list! I will be update about further questions once I finish my list!

Bill

Rule of thumb: If panniers, gear, and a days food supply weigh more than 30 lbs, you may be overloaded for touring in civilization. And overnighter or two should winnow the chaff.

When choosing panniers, pay attention to their weight. Some are just too darn heavy.