What are your thoughts Weight Distribution?
 

How much do you think about and how important is weight distribution when you are touring? Is it even undesirable? What are your thoughts on weight distribution, its effects and importance?

Here's some of my observations and I'd be interested to hear of your thoughts and experiences.

It's not something I've considered much before but for my upcoming tour ( Touring Latin America ) I have made some assumptions in order to see if I could get a near 50/50 distribution for the total weight of the bicycle, rider and equipment, which I will reproduce here:

TOTAL: 110kg

• Bicycle - 14kg
• Rear Panniers including contents - 13.5kg
• Handlebar Bag including contents - 5kg
• Rider - 77.5kg :)

This is how I setup the bicycle earlier today for a test-run (which went well, the bicycle felt solid and stable) with a front/rear weight distribution is: 42/68kg = 38/62% based on this:

• Assuming an average rider weight front/rear distribution of 40/60% the current rider weight spread is 31/46.5kg - riding position can change but this more-or-less fixed.
• Assuming the bicycle weight distribution is 40/60 the bicycle weight spread is 5.6/8.4kg - also fixed.
• Current equipment loading: 5/13.5kg -this can be adjusted!

If I move 10 kilos to the front-rack (its maximum capacity) and from the rear the weight distribution becomes 52/58 = 47/53% which is close enough to a 50/50 balance. (Switching panniers to my Ortlieb Back City Rollers which are 1kg lighter will bring this even closer - but I won't do that!)

My rule of thumb is to load the front end - but not too much. Putting weight up front somehow makes it easier to carry. But if I overdo it the front end gets shaky or wobbly at low speed. It can be difficult to control on a steep hill in a slow gear.

I am lucky enough to have twin friends who rode from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego. They put everything on the back of their MTBs:
http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=419633

Weight balanced side to side on the front, the rear can be less equal side to side

dense heavy in the front .. bulky but less dense on the rear .. tent, sleeping bag pad, clothes .

Try it, ride it, make adjustments.

Ok, looked at the pic of your ride. If it was me I'd take the handlebar bag off the bars and put it on the front rack.

+1. Also, I think a handlebar bag is no place to put 5kg; too much weight, too high up. I used mine for light items. However, I saw some FastBikingGirls who each had one Ortleib pannier on one side of the rear: they shared a pair. They didn't seem to have a problem. My riding companion had large panniers on the rear, a rack trunk bag on the front and had no problem. I used 4 medium sized panniers (Seattle Sports Fast Pack), 750 cubic inches each and also a rack trunk bag on the rear rack. I like a balanced bike.

I also prefer to load the front as heavy as possible. If I still have more stuff, on go the rear bags. Weight at the front axle stabilizes the bike; other locations destabilize it. As added perks, front loading is more aerodynamic (check out the shape of a drop of water: bigger in the front than the rear) and puts less strain on the rear wheel, which is much more likely to have issues than a front wheel.

I have the bigger version of that bag and was unhappy with the Topeak mounting hardware. I eventually replaced it with a Velo Orange decaleur and lowered the bag so that its weight was resting on my front rack.

Another vote here for a front load bias. I like to do as fietsbob described and put my heavier/compact items in front low-rider panniers. Clothes, cooking gear, tent, toiletries, bike lock, etc go in the front. The rear tends to be lighter, but bulky items. My sleeping bag(quilt), sleep pad, coat, and rain gear go in the rear panniers. If my tent is wet when I pack it then I tend to adjust the load so that my tent can go on a rack rather than having a wet tent in my panniers. I also have larger front panniers than rear. I find my bike to be more stable with more weight down low and in front. As long as I load my front panniers evenly, which isn't usually too difficult, I can coast with no hands without problems. The bike also feels better and more natural in turns with the lower front weight and climbs and rides aggressively better since there isn't weight up high waving back and forth like when you have heavy rear panniers. I started with using heavier rear panniers, thinking that was naturally a better way to do it. After I tried a heavier front load, that's how I'll always carry it. All that said, I haven't actually weighed everything, myself, and the bike, and figured out my exact weight distribution. I'd imagine once you factor my weight into the equation, it gets closer to 50/50, not front loaded. It may well still be more weight in the rear, since I weigh much more than my gear. You just have to ride and see what feels good to you.

What are your thoughts Weight Distribution?
 

I've never needed front panniers, so apart from a handlebar bag, it's all on the back. Works fine for me.

I never understood the attraction of handlebar bags that put weight high and cantilevered off the stem other than you could see it. it's obvious that it makes front handling sloppy.

I've tried heavier stuff up front and always prefered lighter front end, so the steering doesnt get slowed down so much, but thats me liking fast steering. I can see however how having more up front makes sense for giving the rear wheel a break (sic) and when I've tried it its certainly not terrible when riding.

I do agree on not putting much weight in a bar bag.

I agree. I like a handlebar bag for valuables and electronics, it is a convenient place to hold a map (and a bag of mini-donuts) but I try to keep the weight down.

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=419664

I do not see any front panniers, if that is your plan, good luck.

If you bags are full when you start, where are you going to put your food and perhaps water when you stock up on that? In the photo, when we stopped at the grocery store, my saddle bag (Carridice Nelson Long Flap) had some stuff in the side pockets but the main compartment was empty. But completely filled it up at the grocery store.

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=419663

I have a pair of Ortlieb front roller panniers and room to spare still, on the racks, the downtube bottle holder can take 2 litre sized regular drinks bottles. The photo was a test run but I'm still deciding the best setup. I have not carried a bar bag before so it's good to hear your advice.

Thanks everyone for the handlebar/front rack tips!

I've not toured with front panniers before either, only rear, and never a 'proper' handlebar bag like this, just rears. I did a month travelling in Spain and Italy this summer with 12kg in a pair of Ortlieb City Back Rollers but no camping full gear.

It's not a case of "needing" front panniers. But once you've tried a 60/40 front/rear split, it's difficult going back to a rear loaded bike. I find that a heavier front load handles better especially if you feel that you need to hurl yourself off the tops of hills...i.e. go downhills fast.

Taking all of your advice and within the limits of my puny 10kg-rated front rack, I moved and filled-up my 1.5kg Ortlieb front rollers with 5kg of camping stuff from the rear. I have to still empty the handlebar bag a bit - I might actually swap it out for another non-specific improvised bag I used before which is only a few hundred grams instead and rest it on the rack.

What are your thoughts Weight Distribution?
 

Sorry cyccomute, I meant I didn't "need" front carriers to carry any gear. I can see that if you have so much gear you need four panniers, then all that gear on the back may affect your balance

You aren't quite getting it. Everything that I carry on a bike could fit in the rear panniers. I'm not in need of space. But putting the load over the front wheel makes a large difference in the way that the bike handles. I've used just front bags or two small front and rear bags. I've also toured with just rear bags. The front only or front/rear split is a fast improvement over rear only.

What are your thoughts Weight Distribution?
 

Ah ok, I've never ridden a bike with front panniers even though I've been touring for 30 years! Will give it a try some time :)

edit: any idea of the weight of Tubus DUO lowriders and a pair of Ortlieb front roller plus? Oh, and will the small Bear Vault fit in one of the front panniers?

This has got me thinking :) :beer:

Exactly! Even with just the 5kg handlebar bag on my test ride with no panniers the bicycle handling felt much more stable and relaxed for the extra weight being forward. My front-rack is cheap and might break (no eyelets, discs, so not many options) but I know at least if the worst happens I can load the gear back into the massive rear-panniers with this newer setup.

I've found you want match the unloaded weight distribution so your bike will handle about the same when loaded. If currently 60/40 rear/front, ideally you should add weight 60/40 rear/front. Also important is to add as little weight as possible forward of the front axle and behind the rear axle. Also keep the weight as low as possible. A good test is to see if you can ride fully loaded no-handed. If you can, the bike is well balanced.

Another second. Get the Jandd "low rider" rack. (They are considerably more sturdy than the Blackburns.) The small front Ortliebs are excellent. Handlebar bags, if you must have them should be no more than a map and energy bar holder. That is the single worst place to place weight on a bike. (The low riders are the best.)

I used to start loading my bike for a tour putting canned goods and the like in the front panniers. Then food, stove, bottles. All fabric items except perhaps my most likely to be used jackets went in back. Those jackets or whatever were used to silence the front bags until I needed to wear them and they were easy to reach just stopping. (I still do this every week grocery shopping. Farmer's market, the greens go in back.)

Consider putting a third WB cage under the downtube. You won't be able to get it riding, but it simplifies enough water for hot days and makes a great place to store fuel bottles. You can't ask for a better place to hang weight. (Warning, you might not want to take it off when you get home; it is so useful! Every custom I have made gets a set of bosses there.)

Ben

What are your thoughts Weight Distribution?
 

Tubus Duo rack (510 g) and front rollers (1.3kg)... That's 4 lbs