Hey, I'll be browsing around as well, just wanted to submit this for advice first.

Kind of shortish version:
I have a road racing bike, a lightweight tent, and a budget lightweight 30 degree sleeping bag. No equipment to carry stuff yet. Looking for any input on what to buy/bring for my current bike, and for any camping ideas for an unplanned multi day ride (a week or so probably). Want to camp (what to do with bike, how to find camping areas where no human or animal will harass me), but will definitely stop and buy food at times.

Longer version:
Wife wants to take a solo road trip this November up the coast (from the SF Bay Area), as she never got the chance for solo adventures. So I'm thinking of taking the opportunity to ride my bike all week without coming home to sleep. That's as far as I've planned so far. I am just finishing up road racing season, and November will be in the middle of "base" training so it's the perfect time to log a boatload of easy miles. The most I've ever ridden in a week for training is about 400 miles, but I'm sure I could ride a lot more if I'm not race training.

My issue is that I've only ever ridden one day at a time, not more than 5 or 6 hours, so I haven't had to plan carrying stuff. For day rides I just carry water, 300 calories for each hour, spare tubes and basic tools (pump, multitool, tire levers). I assume if I'm going to be out for days I'd want tire boots, patch kit+spares, spare cables, spare links/chain tool, more food, camping equipment. Wondering if anyone can give me either an exhaustive list or maybe just "don't forget this item", or input in general on how to load a road bike for touring!

Most people keep guides on what they bring for multi-day rides. Here's mine.

As for the bike, if you're using a traditional road bike, you'll want to minimize your carry weight. it sounds like you're planning on doing that anyways, which is great. Look into frame bags from Revelate Designs, Oveja Negra, or Blackrock Gear. These bags have "soft mounting" systems that don't need any racks or hardware, so they're lightweight and they keep the bike's handling intact. The capacity is very limited, but if you're using lightweight gear, it should be more than enough. I can even camp in winter with just the soft-rack systems.

Here's my soft-rack loading system.

If your road bike has rack mounts, two simple panniers should be enough capacity for an 8-day trip.

A dollar bill works as a tire boot. A spare cable is rarely necessary unless you expect to be away from shops, which in California seems unlikely. A chain tool, I definitely recommend carrying.


I would also recommend looking into some touring tires. Something like 28c Continental Gatorskins would fit your road bike (asumedly, unless it's really aero) and would minimize your flats dramatically compared to conventional lightweight tires.

On Camping:

Finding a quiet place to camp is usually as simple as looking at Google Maps and seeing where there's a collection of trees. if you show up at dark and then leave at first light, you won't bother anyone and nobody is likely to complain. Use your best judgement.

I find that locking the bike's wheel to the frame and laying it directly next to my tent, or even tying it to the tent, means that it can't get stolen without me waking up. But honestly, if you pick a good quiet spot, your odds of being robbed in non-urban areas are low. Scout out your route ahead of time so that you're in areas with wilderness near the end of each day. The borders of graveyards, golf courses, state parks, and schools often have thick tree cover and "no-man's land" or land that is undeveloped and un-surveillanced.