It’s 2015… and that is my fifteenth yr in a row of bicycle touring all around the globe. Final yr I cycled throughout 14 international locations in Asia, Europe, and North America… and now I’m again in Europe for one more epic yr of bicycle touring.
As a result of I’m so continuously requested concerning the gear, clothes, and gear I exploit on my bike excursions, I believed I might take a second to share with you an in depth checklist of every merchandise I’m at the moment carrying with me on my travels.
Be at liberty to make use of this packing checklist as a suggestion to your personal bicycle touring adventures… or see my e book, “The Bicycle Touring Blueprint” for extra info on what to pack, how heavy your bicycle ought to be, what kind of motorcycle and kit you must use, tips on how to get your self (and your bicycle/gear) to the beginning of a motorbike tour, what to anticipate when you hit the highway, plus a complete lot extra.
After studying by my checklist of bicycle touring gear, remember to learn my feedback at this finish of this text to find out how my gear has modified during the last yr and why I’ve made these numerous adjustments to the gear that I exploit.
Co-Movement Pangea Touring Bicycle
The Co-Movement Pangea is my foremost bicycle touring car and an important piece of kit that I personal. This on-road, off-road touring bike could be break up in half with the usage of S&S couplers, permitting me to fly the bike free of charge and simply transport the bike on buses, boats and trains with minimal effort.
READ MY REVIEW
Shimano SPD Pedals
SPD pedals enable me to clip my biking footwear to my bicycle and pedal with better energy and management. Such a pedal should be used with an accompanying set of SPD footwear.
BUY HERE
Axiom Journey Rear Rack
This light-weight aluminum rack shouldn’t be actually designed for tremendous heavy masses or extraordinarily lengthy distances, however I’ve been utilizing it for the final a number of years and have had few issues with it.
READ MY REVIEW
Arkel AC LowRider Entrance Rack
I’ve been utilizing the Arkel AC LowRider Rack on the entrance of my touring bicycle for greater than 5 years now and it has by no means let me down. Constructed sturdy, however very light-weight. Extremely really helpful!
BUY HERE
Planet Bike Entrance & Rear Fenders
These cheap plastic and steel fenders will assist to guard me, my bicycle and my gear from rain, mud and different highway particles. The fenders discovered on my bicycle for the time being are designed for the 26 inch tires discovered on my touring bike.
BUY HERE
3 Water Bottle Cages
My touring bicycle is provided with mounts for 3 water bottle cages, maximizing the quantity of water I can carry.
BUY HERE
3 Water Bottles
You’ll be able to spend some huge cash on fancy water bottles, however you don’t actually need something particular. I exploit white or clear water bottles (relatively than black or darkish coloured bottles) in an effort to hold the temperature of my water down when biking in scorching climate.
Ortlieb Bike-Packer Plus Rear Panniers
These giant, waterproof panniers sit on the rear rack of my bicycle and carry all my tenting and digital gear. I bought new panniers this yr, swapping my outdated pink Ortlieb panniers for his or her new slate blue shade.
READ MY REVIEW – BUY HERE
Ortlieb Sport-Packer Plus Entrance Panniers
These two smaller waterproof panniers sit on the entrance rack of my touring bicycle and carry all of the meals, toiletries and clothes that I would like for my travels. As soon as once more, I’ve modified my panniers this yr – from pink to blue.
READ MY REVIEW – BUY HERE
Ortlieb Ultimate6 Plus Handlebar Bag
This excellent, waterproof handlebar bag sits on the entrance of my bicycle and carries my digital camera, pockets, navigational devices (smartphone), and a lot of different small equipment.
BUY HERE
Knog Blinder Circle – 4-LED USB Bicycle Head Mild
The Knog Blinder 4 is a USB rechargeable bicycle mild that has 4 tremendous vibrant LEDs that pump out as much as 80 Lumens of sunshine in 5 completely different modes (Regular, Quick Flash,Natural Flash 1, Natural Flash 2, Eco flash).
BUY HERE
Moon Comet – USB Rear Bicycle Mild
The Moon Comet Rear Mild includes a 1 piece COB LED that generates 30 lumens of sunshine. This progressive USB rechargeable mild comes normal with a seat submit and saddle rail bracket.
BUY HERE
Avenir Keyed Cable Lock
I’ve been utilizing this comparatively light-weight cable lock for greater than 11 years and it has labored splendidly on my travels. Sadly, it this lock is now not in manufacturing and can’t be bought wherever on-line.
20 Inch Bungee Twine
I exploit a single 20 inch bungee wire to safe my tripod, tent poles and photo voltaic panel on the rear rack of my bicycle.
Axiom EnforceAir Professional Street Bike Pump
The EnforceAir Professional Street bike pump from Axiom is an extended, highly effective and light-weight bicycle pump that features as a ground pump when in use.
READ MY REVIEW
Multi-Software
I carry a really generic bicycle multi-tool. There’s nothing particular about it. It has all of the Allen wrench sizes which are discovered on my touring bicycle.
BUY HERE
Pedal / S&S Coupler Wrench
This can be a particular pedal / S&S coupler wrench that comes with Co-Movement Co-Pilot bicycles. The wrench permits you to set up/take away your pedals and to open and shut the S&S couplers on the bicycle’s body.
Mini Adjustable Wrench
I carry a really small adjustable wrench for the bolts on my fenders and for any further repairs which may should be made to my bicycle’s racks, cables, panniers, and many others.
Spare Rack Screws
I all the time carry a couple of further rack screws in case the screws holding my racks, fenders, or water bottle cages rattle their method out of the bicycle body.
Patch Package & Tire Levers
I carry two tire levers and a small, light-weight patch equipment on all of my bicycle excursions. This equipment permits me to restore flat tubes and patch tube punctures.
BUY HERE
Spare Tube(s)
I carry not less than one or two spare tubes on all of my bicycle excursions. I exploit 26 inch Presta tubes in my touring bicycle wheels.
MSR Hubba 1-Man Tent
You’ll be exhausting pressed to discover a lighter or extra compact tent than the MSR Hubba. This 1-person tent is the proper measurement for bicycle touring and can hold you protected and dry throughout your cycle touring adventures.
READ MY REVIEW – BUY HERE
Vaude Sove Sleeping Pad
After destroying greater than 5 costly Exped and McKinley sleeping pads during the last two years, I’m now utilizing and experimenting with a Vaude Sove inflatable sleeping pad to sleep on every evening.
BUY HERE
The North Face Cat’s Meow Sleeping Bag
I’ve been utilizing the Cat’s Meow sleeping bag on my colder bicycle excursions for years on finish now. It’s not the smallest sleeping bag on the planet, however is has a very good stability between measurement and heat. It’s simply sufficiently small to suit inside one among my bicycle’s rear panniers.
BUY HERE
Folding Knife
I carry a small folding knife with me. I don’t use this for private safety (though I might use if that method if I needed to). As an alternative, I exploit the knife primarily for spreading jam on break, chopping up apples and getting ready my meals on the highway.
Titanium Spork
As an alternative of carrying a heavy fork and spoon, I carry this light-weight titanium spork as an alternative.
BUY HERE
Mini Lighter
So as to begin fires in my camp every evening I carry a small, mini BIC lighter. I favor a brightly coloured lighter so it’s simple to search out inside my panniers and round camp.
BUY HERE
Giro Xen Helmet
This is a superb, light-weight bike helmet with a solar visor within the entrance and simply adjustable head straps within the again.
BUY HERE
Fox Racing MTB Jersey
I prefer to put on biking garments that don’t make me seem like a bicycle owner. The free MTB jerseys from Fox Racing permits me to step off the bicycle on the finish of the day and mix in with the folks round me, irrespective of the place I’m on the planet. I’m carrying two jerseys with me on this tour.
BUY HERE
Fox Shorts
Somewhat than cycle and stroll round in spandex or Lycra, I select to put on an everyday pair of shorts made by Fox Racing. I’ve two pairs of those, which I can put on on or off the bike.
BUY HERE
Columbia Rain Jacket
To guard me from the weather and hold me dry in rain and snow, I shall be carrying a light-weight Columbia rain jacket that packs up comparatively small inside my panniers when it isn’t getting used.
Patagonia Fleece Jacket
This fleece jacket from Patagonia retains me heat and permits me to stroll round in model with out making me seem like a bicycle owner.
North Face Rain Pants
I’m anticipating to spend a number of days this yr using in each mild and heavy rain storms… and I anticipate these waterproof rain pants to turn out to be useful on my travels.
Shimano SH-MT43L Footwear
These SPD footwear by Shimano had been designed for mountain biking, however work nice for bicycle touring as properly.
BUY HERE
New Stability Strolling/Working Footwear
As a result of I’m touring for therefore lengthy, I’m bringing a pair of strolling/trainers with me along with my SPD biking footwear. Having a pair of strolling footwear makes my time without work the bike way more comfy.
Denims
This yr I’ve upgraded from one pair of denims to 2! I’ve carried out this largely as a result of I’ve been in colder climates (in Poland, Ukraine, and many others.) and since I’m planning on doing some paragliding in Romania, and I must put on pants every day for this exercise.
T-Shirts
I’ll have 4 completely different T-shirts with me at anybody time (1 to sleep in and three to stroll round/cycle in). I purposely choose T-shirts with no logos or paintings on them.
Mild Gloves
I’ve bought a pair of light-weight North Face gloves. I don’t use them every day and so they aren’t designed particularly for biking. I exploit the gloves primarily to maintain my arms heat when strolling or biking in chilly (however not freezing) temperatures – and in addition when paragliding.
Winter Snow Gloves
Due to my wintertime bike trip throughout Poland, Ukraine and Romania, I picked up an affordable pair of thick winter gloves. I’ll use them for the primary 500+ miles of my bike tour this yr, after which both throw them away, give them away to somebody who can use them greater than I can, or mail them again house so I can use them sooner or later sooner or later.
Hat
I all the time carry a hat with me on my bicycle excursions. I exploit it primarily for my time without work the bike – to cowl the unhealthy hairdo created by carrying a motorbike helmet.
Socks
I’m carrying about 4 pairs of black, ankle-length socks with me. These are the socks I cycle and stroll round in throughout the day. I select black socks as a result of they cover filth properly. I even have a hotter, thicker pair of socks that I sleep in at evening.
Underwear
A private selection greater than the rest, I’m carrying 4 pairs of underwear on this yr’s long-distance bicycle tour.
Sun shades & Case
I’ve bought a pair of Nike sun shades I’m carrying in a tough plastic case, carried inside my handlebar bag.
Seirus Facemask
Whereas I in all probability gained’t use this a lot throughout this explicit bike tour, I’m bringing it alongside anyway. It’s light-weight and might do lots to maintain you heat in your tent or in your bike if the climate will get chilly.
13″ MacBook Professional Laptop computer Pc
With out this laptop, I might not have the ability to journey for so long as I do (generally for months on finish), nor would I give you the chance to take action a lot work on BicycleTouringPro.com throughout my bicycle excursions.
BUY HERE
Padded Laptop computer Case
I purchased my laptop computer case so way back, I don’t know what model or mannequin it’s. However it will be significant as a result of I carry my Most worthy piece of digital gear inside it.
Voltaic Fuse 6 Watt Photo voltaic Panel
This small, however highly effective photo voltaic panel will make it doable for me to recharge my smartphone every day in order that I can proceed biking for days on finish with out each having to entry the ability grid.
LEARN MORE HERE – BUY HERE
Journey Good All-in-One Energy Adapter
When touring internationally, I’ve to hold this in an effort to plug my electronics into the wall and recharge them. This adapter has a in-built USB charger on its aspect as properly.
BUY HERE
Canon T2i Digital SLR Digicam (+ 4 Batteries)
My pictures have gotten so significantly better since I began carrying an SLR digital camera. It’s lots bigger than a degree and shoot digital camera (or the low-res digital camera constructed into my smartphone), however the sort of digital camera forces you to suppose earlier than you snap a photograph… and the tip result’s lots higher due to that. Together with the digital camera I’m additionally carrying a battery charger and three spare batteries.
BUY HERE
Lowepro SLR Digicam Comfortable Case
My SLR digital camera is carried inside this padded case. This case matches inside my handlebar bag and can be used when carrying the digital camera off the bike and in my backpack. I don’t use the shoulder strap that comes with this case.
BUY HERE
Canon EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM Commonplace Zoom Lens
That is the principle lens I’ve on my digital camera more often than not and, subsequently, the lens I exploit for many of my pictures.
BUY HERE
Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 Digicam Lens
I exploit this lens for portraits and close-up photographs. This lens is tremendous sharp!
BUY HERE
Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 Broad-Angle Digicam Lens
I’ve by no means used this lens on my bicycle excursions earlier than, however I’m bringing it alongside as a result of I feel will probably be nice for photographing the slim streets and alleys I do know I’ll encounter all throughout Europe and Asia.
BUY HERE
Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini (Unlocked)
I shall be utilizing this internationally unlocked Samsung Galaxy smartphone to name house, make preparations with folks I meet on my travels and connect with the Web throughout my travels. I’ll primarily use it to take heed to music whereas I’m biking and as a navigational support. That is the primary time I’ve ever used a smartphone on a bicycle tour, so we’ll see the way it goes!
BUY HERE
GoPro Hero Video Digicam
That is the small sports activities digital camera I exploit to document my actions photographs from the highway. It’s not an excellent digital camera for recording your complete bike journey on – as a consequence of it’s fish-eye lens, however it’s nice for recording sure photographs on the bike. See my GoPro movies on YouTube for a number of examples of this digital camera at work.
BUY HERE
GoPro Chesty Chest Harness
So as to shoot comparatively clean biking movies with my GoPro video digital camera, I exploit the GoPro Chesty Chest Harness. This bra-like contraption permits me to trip my bike with my GoPro video digital camera mounted on my chest and provides an virtually real-life perspective of what it’s prefer to bicycle around the globe.
BUY HERE
Sony Earphones
That is one among my most used items of drugs as a result of once I journey on my own I’m continually listening to music, podcasts, language-learning tapes and extra.
Western Digital 1 TB Exterior Exhausting Drives
I carry two of those exterior exhausting drives with me so I can backup all my pictures. Every exhausting drive carries a single copy of every of my pictures, so if one exhausting drive dies I’ve one other exhausting drive storing the identical photos. I additionally again up all my pictures onto Flickr.com.
BUY HERE
Columbia Half-Monitor Backpack
I carry this small, light-weight backpack with me. I retailer my laptop computer and different digital gadgets contained in the backpack when I’m on the bike, and use the backpack when strolling round on foot. The backpack is saved inside one among my rear panniers when I’m on the bike.
BUY HERE
Sony VCT-60AV Tripod & Case
As a result of I journey on my own a lot of the time, I carry a tripod so I can get pictures of me really using my bicycle throughout my excursions.
BUY HERE
Toiletry Case
I exploit an affordable toiletry case that I bought from Walmart to carry all of my toiletries. Nothing particular.
Camp Towel
This small, light-weight towel is ideal for bicycle touring. It takes up little or no area and dries shortly.
BUY HERE
Lip Balm
You gotta hold your mouth clear – even when biking around the globe.
BUY HERE
Toothbrush & Toothpaste
You gotta hold your mouth clear – even when biking around the globe.
Razor & Shaving Cream
That is for my face – not my legs. Ha!
Nail Clippers
On longer bike excursions, it’s important to hold a small pair of nail clippers.
Tweezers
I carry a small, light-weight set of tweezers, not just for private hygiene, but additionally to select thorns and glass out of my tires, footwear, ft, and many others.
Journey Dimension Shampoo & Lotion
Shampoo to scrub my hair and lotion to take care of my pores and skin (and occasional sunburns).
Sunscreen
I’ll apply sunscreen two or 3 times per day whether it is particularly scorching and sunny.
Bathroom Paper
Blow your nostril and wipe your butt. It’s good to hold not less than one-half roll of bathroom paper with you always – particularly when you plan to camp.
Cleaning soap & Journey Case
To maintain my physique clear, I carry a single bar of cleaning soap and a plastic case during which the cleaning soap is saved.
Passport
An important when touring internationally, my passport is one among my most protected private gadgets.
Zippered Journey Pockets
I carry all my money, credit score and debit playing cards in a zippered pockets. The zipper makes me really feel higher as a result of I don’t have to fret about something falling out throughout my travels.
Ping-Pong Paddle, 3 Balls & Case
I’ve by no means introduced a ping-pong paddle with me on any of my bicycle excursions prior to now, however I wish to make an effort on this journey to cease and play ping-pong with as might strangers as I can. When you play ping-pong and I shall be in your a part of the world, please contact me. I’d like to play a sport or two with you!
Journal & Pens
Lastly, I’ve a small journal and two pens with me so I can hold a journal about my travels and write down the names, electronic mail addresses and telephone numbers of any folks I’d meet alongside the way in which.
So, there you might have it! That’s every part I’m carrying with me on my bicycle excursions this yr.
Get 5 extra bike tour packing lists like this one and be taught extra concerning the gear I like to recommend for self-supported bicycle touring inside my e book, The Bicycle Touring Blueprint.
What Modifications Have I Made This 12 months?
The reality is, I haven’t modified a lot with reference to what I’m carrying on my bike tour this yr in comparison with what I used on my 2014 bicycle touring expeditions. I’ve modified my panniers – however not as a result of the outdated ones wore out or had something incorrect with them. As an alternative, I merely modified from pink Ortlieb panniers… to blue Ortlieb panniers. I’ve had pink panniers on my bicycle for greater than a decade, so I felt that it was time for a change.
I’ve gotten rid of my battery powered headlamp (which was helpful for studying in mattress at evening) and changed it with a a USB rechargable bike mild. This mild gained’t be practically as helpful for camp-related actions, however it is going to actually be lots safer for on-the-road use (particularly throughout the winter leg of my travels this yr). I’ve additionally swapped out my outdated AAA battery powered rear bike mild for a brand new USB rechargeable mild (which I can energy now, just like the entrance mild, with my Voltaic photo voltaic charger.)
Whereas I do want a brand new tent (my present one is greater than 3 years outdated and has been closely used throughout that point), I’ve but to discover a new one which I like, so I’m going to make use of my MSR Hubba tent for one more month or two after which try to safe a brand new one in Romania – earlier than I head north and start my bicycle touring adventures in Scandinavia.
Lastly, I’ve picked up a couple of small items of winter biking attire – reminiscent of winter snow gloves and winter ski goggles. The primary a part of my travels this yr are going to require that I cycled throughout Poland, Ukraine and Romania throughout the late winter/early spring. I don’t know what sort of situations I’m going to run into throughout this leg of the journey (there might simply be snow, ice and sub-freezing temperatures), so I wished to ensure that I used to be ready. As soon as I full this leg of my bike tour, I’ll possible ditch this gear in an try and lighten my load ever so barely.
However apart from that, the gear I’m utilizing in 2015 is just about the identical stuff that I used throughout my travels by bike in 2014. I’m stilling carrying the identical garments, nonetheless using the identical bicycle, nonetheless sleeping in the identical sleeping bag, and nonetheless capturing with the identical digital camera. My smartphone continues to be operating sturdy, my Voltaic photo voltaic panel is working nice, and I’m feeling sturdy. I’m prepared for one more epic yr of bicycle touring around the globe!
In Conclusion: My 2015 Bike Tour Packing Listing
So, there you might have it! That’s every part I’m packing with me on this yr’s massive bicycle touring journey. If in case you have any questions for me about my packing checklist this yr, be at liberty to go away a remark under. And when you suppose I’d give you the chance that can assist you plan, put together for, or execute a bicycle touring journey of your individual, please see this web page for extra info on tips on how to plan, pack and put together to your personal unimaginable bicycle touring adventures.