Right here’s an in depth have a look at each merchandise I packed and carried with me on my 2018 summertime bike tour throughout Central Europe (together with the week-long stretch I did from Prague to Vienna).
As I’ve mentioned with all of my earlier bike tour packing lists, I encourage you to make use of this packing checklist as a tough guideline on your personal bicycle touring adventures… or (higher but) see my e-book, “The Bicycle Touring Blueprint“ for extra data on what to pack, how heavy your bicycle ought to be, what sort of bicycle and kit you have to be utilizing, how you can get your self and your bicycle/gear to the beginning of your bike tour, what to anticipate when you hit the street, how you can discover free and low-cost locations to remain every evening, plus a complete lot extra!
My Central Europe Bike Tour Packing Listing
Co-Movement Cycles Siskiyou
That is my third main bike tour that I’ve completed with my Co-Movement Cycles Sisikyou touring bicycle. This bike is made for street using, however can deal with dust roads and gravel surfaces fairly splendidly. It was completely fitted to my bike tour in Central Europe.
Shimano SPD Clipless Bike Pedals
SPD pedals help you now solely apply stress when you’re pushing down on the pedals, and in an upward path path as properly. Not solely that, however they lock your ft to the pedals, offering you with extra stability when pedaling on quick descents. In other-words, you’re ft aren’t going to slide off the pedals as you trip.
Axiom DLX Streamliner Disc Cycle Rack
The Axiom DLX Streamliner is a reasonable rear bicycle rack with a narrower profile than many different rear bike racks. I’ve used this rack on a number of of my earlier bike excursions and it has held collectively simply high quality, so I used it once more for this bike tour in Central Europe.
Arkel AC Lowrider Entrance Rack
The Arkel AC Lowrider is similar entrance bicycle rack I’ve been utilizing on my bicycle touring expeditions all all over the world for the final 14+ years. The Arkel AC Lowrider rack is an excellent entrance bike rack that I might extremely suggest. Nonetheless, it was not designed to go together with the Co-Movement Cycles Siskyou touring bicycle, because it doesn’t match properly on the entrance fork. I might go for a Tubus entrance rack sooner or later.
Planet Bike Entrance & Rear Fenders
I used a set of cheap 26 inch fenders produced by Planet Bike for this explicit bike tour. These fenders are cheap and so they work extraordinarily properly. I might suggest them!
Water Bottle Cages
I’ve bought two of those water bottle cages mounted to the body of my touring bicycle. I want there have been room for 3 water bottle cages on my bike, however due to the Pinion gearbox and S&S couplers I’ve constructed into the body of my bicycle, there merely isn’t room for a 3rd water bottle.
Water Bottles
Inside the 2 water bottle cages on my bicycle, I’ve bought two standard-sized bicycle water bottles.
Ortlieb Bike-Packer Plus Rear Panniers
The Ortlieb Bike-Packer Plus panniers I used on this journey are my absolute favourite bicycle touring luggage. They’re giant sufficient to hold all my gear, utterly waterproof, and good wanting. The pannier is proven right here with a shoulder strap, however I don’t pack or carry that strap with me once I’m touring.
Ortlieb Sport-Packer Plus Entrance Panniers
Ortlieb Sport-Packer Plus panniers are high-quality, waterproof bicycle touring panniers for the entrance of your bicycle. As soon as once more, the product is proven right here with the included shoulder strap, however I don’t pack or carry this strap whereas I’m on the street.
Ortlieb Final 6 Handlebar Bag
The Ortlieb Ultimate6 Handlebar Bag is one in all my most-commonly used items of substances. I exploit this massive handlebar bag to hold my pockets, cameras, and varied bicycle instruments. Once I go right into a grocery store or depart my bicycle for any size of time, my handlebar bag comes with me.
Blackburn Central 50 Rear Mild
The Blackburn Central 50 rear bicycle mild has labored properly for me on earlier bike excursions, so I opted to carry it with me on this bike tour as properly. The battery lasts fairly some time and the sunshine doubles as my nightlight when I’m inside my tent. I used to be not carrying a entrance mild on this explicit bike tour.
Blackburn Atom SL 4.0 Bicycle Laptop
The Blackburn Atom SL 4.0 bicycle laptop is a really fundamental wi-fi bicycle laptop which can let you know your pace, distance for the day, most pace, common pace and general complete distance. It doesn’t do rather more than that, however I’ve discovered that that’s all I really need or want in a bicycle laptop.
20 Inch Bungee Twine
I exploit this brief bungee wire to hold my tripod on the highest of my rear bicycle rack.
Lezyne Sport Drive HV Hand Pump
The Lezyne Sport Drive HV hand pump is a reasonable bicycle pump, but it surely has labored flawlessly for me on a number of completely different bike excursions during the last two years, so I made a decision to carry it with me to Central Europe as properly. It’s compact, light-weight and straightforward to make use of.
Origin 8 Multi-Software
The Origin 8 wood multi-tool is slightly on the heavy facet, but it surely has all of the Allen wrenches, screwdrivers, and such that I would like for a brief bicycle touring vacation of any size.
Pedal/S&S Coupler Wrench
This is similar small (however not very mild) pedal/S&S coupler wrench that I’ve been carrying with me for the final seven years. I exploit the wrench to put in and take away my pedals, in addition to to tighten and loosen the S&S couplers that permit me to separate my bicycle in half. See my evaluate of the Co-Movement Co-Pilot journey case for extra data on how this works.
Spare Rack Screws
Rack, fender and water bottle screws are infamous for wiggling free throughout the lengthy days of biking on a bicycle tour. That’s why I at all times carry a minimum of two or three further rack screws with me – simply in case.
Patch Equipment & Tire Levers
If I get a flat tire, I can normally restore the flat with a fundamental restore package and two extra plastic tire levers.
Bike Lock
I’ve used the identical keyed, cable lock on nearly all of my bicycle touring adventures all all over the world. The lock has labored properly for me during the last 18+ years, so I proceed to apply it to my present expeditions.
Spare Tube
Within the occasion of a flat tire, I at all times have a minimum of one spare bike tube on me always. I wasn’t truly capable of finding a 650 tube for my new touring bicycle, so for this explicit bike tour I carried a 26″ tube with me – simply in case (for emergencies solely). I by no means ended up utilizing this.
Large Agnes Copper Spur HV UL 1-Man Tent
The Large Agnes Copper Spur HV UL 1-Man Tent is a small, light-weight tent that feels fairly huge inside when you set it up and crawl inside. I purchased this tent a number of years in the past due to how small and lightweight it’s and it has turned out to be my favourite bicycle touring tent ever. Extremely advisable!
REI Flash Sleeping Pad
This was my first main bike tour utilizing the REI Flash sleeping pad. I purchased this sleeping pad to make use of on my light-weight bikepacking journeys, however wished to check it in Central Europe to see how sturdy it was on an extended biking journey. I’m joyful to report there have been points in any respect.
Marmot All the time Summer season Sleeping Bag
This small, light-weight sleeping bag is good for a summertime bicycle touring expedition. The Marmot All the time Summer season sleeping bag is insulated with down, so even within the cooler nights of spring and summer season, this sleeping bag will seemingly maintain you heat.
MSR PocketRocket Camp Range
The MSR PocketRocket is a small, light-weight camp range that’s excellent for individuals who have the choice and talent to journey with a propane/butane gas canister. The range is compact, light-weight, simple to make use of and permits you to management the temperature of your meals with a easy twist of the nozzle.
Primus Gas Canister
In the event you decide to hold a camp range just like the MSR PocketRocket (listed above) then you definately’ve bought to select up a number of of those gas canisters on your travels. I burned via two of those gas canisters throughout my month-long bike tour in Central Europe.
Titanium Cook dinner Pot & Pan
Along with the camp range and gas canister, I carry a small titanium cook dinner pot and pan from Toaks. This pot and pan works properly for any meal you may wish to put together for your self after an extended day on the street.
Folding Knife
This small folding knife is carried in my handlebar bag and may be accessed rapidly if want be. Would I exploit it to defend myself from a bear assault? Hell, sure! However realistically, the primary objective of this knife is for meals preparation.
Titanium Spork
A light-weight titanium spork is the one kitchen utensil I carry with me on my bike excursions as of late (except you rely my folding knife, after all).
Bike Helmet
The Giro Revel isn’t a high-end bike helmet, but it surely match my head properly and is comparatively snug. I want the visor have been slightly larger (to assist defend me from the solar), however in any other case it’s a pleasant, cheap bike helmet.
Columbia Utilizer Polo Shirts
I packed two of those Utilizer polo shirts from Columbia on my bike tour in Central Europe. They’re free becoming shirts that work properly each on and off the bike, don’t get too smelly when sweat on and are fashionable sufficient to be worn in good eating places, and so forth.
Shorts
I don’t trip in a pair of particular bicycle shorts. I simply cycle in a pair of black Hurley shorts – like the type you may discover at your native surf/skate store.
Patagonia Rain Jacket
The Patagonia Torrentshell Rain Jacket is light-weight, tremendous compact, waterproof and nice for blocking out the wind. It may be squeezed into any empty areas you may need inside your panniers, but it surely isn’t very heat, so it must be used along side a hotter, insulating jacket.
T-Shirts
Along with the 2 polo shirts I used to be carrying with me, I additionally had two light-weight T-shirts, which I used to both sleep in or wore each on and off the bike.
Fleece Jacket
My major insulating layer is a fleece jacket from Columbia. I can put on this jacket once I’m biking, once I’m strolling round off the bike, and even once I’m sleeping.
Light-weight Fleece Pants
For sleeping in chilly climate, I pack a small, mild and compact pair of fleece pants. These pants are nice to put on inside my tent within the evenings and have been on my physique nearly each single evening as I lay inside my sleeping bag.
2 Pairs of Underwear
I had three pairs of underwear with me on this explicit bike tour. That was greater than sufficient. I might have gotten by with simply two and can pack fewer underwear subsequent time.
Baseball Cap
As quickly as my bike helmet comes off my head, I instantly place this black baseball cap onto the highest of my head. It helps to cowl my helmet-hair.
3 Pairs of Black Socks
I packed three pairs of black socks on my bike tour in Central Europe. Two of the pairs I used to cycle in throughout the day, and the third pair of socks I used to sleep in at evening.
Pearl iZUMi Males’s X-ALP Search VII Biking Footwear
Whereas on the bike every day, I used to be sporting a pair of SPD biking sneakers made by Shimano. I’d suggest these sneakers if you would like a pair of SPDs which might be each snug and don’t essentially give away the truth that they’re cycling-specific sneakers.
Sun shades
A top quality pair of sun shades are important on a long-distance bike tour. My sun shades are prescriptions, so I put on them nearly on a regular basis.
Toiletry Case & Toiletries
All of my toiletries are carried on this single REI toiletry case. I’ve not listed the person toiletries that I carried, however I’ll let you know that for this explicit bike tour I didn’t pack a camp towel. I mainly simply had a toothbrush, floss, toothpaste, deodorant, cleaning soap, tweezers and nail clippers.
Zippered Journey Pockets
The Friends Surfshorts zippered pockets is one of the best compact journey pockets I’ve discovered… and I might extremely suggest it as a light-weight pockets for any out of doors journey.
Passport
As a world traveler, I don’t go anyplace now with out my passport. In the event you’re planning to cross worldwide borders, it is advisable to be sure to have your passport with you always!
Samsung Galaxy S7 Smartphone
For mapping out my route, listening to music/podcasts, studying overseas languages, flying my drone and easily entertaining myself, my Samsung Galaxy S7 smartphone is one in all my favourite bicycle touring necessities.
Earphones
Once I crawl into my tent at evening, the very first thing I normally do is plug my earphones in and begin listening to a podcast. Due to this fact, these small, light-weight earphones are an absolute should!
USB Cables
To cost my varied electronics, I carried two completely different USB charging cables. One cable was used to cost my smartphone, digicam batteries and bike lights, whereas the opposite was used to cost my GoPro video digicam.
Twin USB European Wall Charger
To cost my varied electronics, I packed this small twin USB European wall charger. I used this primarily to cost my smartphone, bike lights, GoPro video digicam and my drone.
Anker PowerCore 26,800mAh Exterior Battery
The Anker PowerCore 26,8000mAh Exterior Battery is an enormous, heavy energy financial institution that you need to use to energy or recharge all kinds of digital gadgets by way of USB. I exploit this battery to cost my smartphone, USB bike lights, my GoPro video digicam, my drone and infrequently a few of my bigger Canon digicam batteries. This factor is important in case you’re touring for a number of days on a motorbike tour and received’t have entry to electrical shops frequently. Plus, you need to use this battery to cost as much as three completely different gadgets directly!
Canon G7X Mark II
The audio on the Canon G7X Mark II isn’t the best, however that is my go-to digicam once I’m capturing my video blogs for the Bicycle Touring Professional YouTube channel. Any shot that you simply see of me speaking to the digicam whereas I trip my bicycle was shot on the Canon G7X Mark II.
Canon T7i DSLR Digital camera
If I need a very nice photograph or video, I exploit my bigger Canon T7i DSLR Digital camera. Along with the digicam and lens, I additionally packed and carried a USB battery charger and three spare digicam batteries.
GoPro Hero Video Digital camera
I packed a GoPro Hero video digicam and used it to get a couple of motion photographs on my bike tour. Watch my movies from this bike tour in Central Europe and also you’ll see a couple of GoPro photographs combined in with the remainder of my footage from the tour.
DJI Spark – Drone & Controller
The DJI Spark is a compact drone that’s a lot smaller and lighter than my outdated one. For this bike tour I introduced the DJI Spark, the non-obligatory controller (which is an absolute should), three complete batteries and I packed every little thing contained in the carrying case that comes with the drone.
USA to European Energy Plug Adapter
So as to cost my bigger digicam batteries, I wanted to hold this small USA to European energy plug adapter. this might permit me to make use of my digicam chargers in any normal European energy outlet
Sony VCT-60AV Tripod
Lastly, as a result of I take nice pleasure in documenting my bike excursions, I journey with a Sony VCT-60AV tripod. Having a tripod like this enables me to setup my DSL digicam and get some high quality photographs of me truly using my bike (one thing that may be troublesome to do and not using a tripod of any type).
There you will have it! That’s my detailed packing checklist for my 2018 bike tour throughout Central Europe (together with the week-long stretch I did from Prague to Vienna).
Need To See Extra Bike Tour Packing Lists?
If you wish to see extra bike tour packing lists like this one, click on right here to see how this bicycle touring gear checklist compares to what I carried on my 2015 bicycle touring expedition, my 2016 bike tour in Europe, my 2017 bike tour in Ecuador and Colombia in South America, my biking journey in Sweden, Finland and Norway or my most up-to-date bike tour in Northern California.
If you wish to see a very good light-weight packing checklist, please see this text I’ve written on the topic or decide up a replica of “The Bicycle Touring Blueprint,” which incorporates a number of completely different packing lists that you need to use to plan and put together on your personal unbelievable bicycle touring adventures – wherever they occur to be on the planet.
DO YOU LIKE WATCHING VIDEOS? Properly, now you may study extra about how you can pack, put together for and execute your dream bike tour anyplace on the planet by signing up for the Bicycle Touring Professional video coaching course. In the event you wish to study by watching movies, this is without doubt one of the quickest and most enjoyable methods to learn to journey by bicycle.