Packing List

This packing list is designed for those biking tours, who will be cooking their own food and camping.  Its easy enough to trim down the portions if you plan no eating out or hosteling.

The goal of packing for a bike ride it to carry as little weight as possible, as weight really sucks when climbing mountains (or hills).  I have chosen to carry at most a days worth of food on me, and to wash my clothes more frequently instead of packing an additional set. Since my bike doesn't have capability to carry paniers I've gone with a trailer.  I purchased a BOB YAK trailer with a single tire that looks like it will do the trick of carrying my cargo easily, although it does look small.

This post is longer then most but for anyone else who is planning a tour a lsit like this will help a lot.And crazily even though the list looks long the weight of the bag isn't so bad.  Its important to choose light weight items where ever possible.

Bike Related

• Bike
• Emergency Bag (patch kit, multi-wrench & spare tire), make sure the glue has not dried up.
• Trailer (or saddle bags)
• Trailer Bag (waterproof)
• Tire pump
• Head lamp (with fresh batteries) + Cables for charging if required
• Lock (key type - not combination)
• Rear Lamp Light (with fresh batteries)
• Helmet
• Camel bag or water bottles

Spare Parts

• 1 - Fold-able bike tire
• 1 - spare trailer tire (16 x 1.75")
• Tubes for bike (2) and trailer (1)
• Spare batteries (if required)
• Chain lube
• Derailleur bracket (just in case)
• Spare Cables. 

Biking Clothing

• 2 - jersey (3 pairs if you want less times washing)
• 2 - padded bike shorts (3 pairs if you want less times washing)
• 3 - pairs socks
• 1 - pair leggings or pants (I prefer leggings as they hardly take any space)
• 1 - water tight shell (for rain and windy cold days)
• 1 - biking shoes with cleats
• 3 - pairs no seam underwear
• 1 - long sleeve jersey (optional, but handy if its colder)
• cycling gloves
• sunglasses

Non Biking clothes

• 1 - Shoes / sandals
• 2 - t-shirts

Hygiene / Medical

• shampoo & container
• soap bar & soap container
• wash cloth
• toothbrush & tooth paste
• sunscreen lotion
• bug repellent
• razor
• small roll - toilet paper
• small towel
• advil
• medications
• bandaids

Camp Related

• tent - small lightweight personal sleeping bag (water repellent with inside over zippers) as light as possible
• sleeping bag stuff sack (stuffed with clothes to be a pillow)
• sleeping pad
• 5 - 1.5 m locking straps.
• small cook stove
• utensils
• water filtration tables
• matches and match container
• dish soap and cloth
• Hunting knife / Leather man
• Plastic bowl (handy for so many things from ceaning to cooking)

Food - Riding

• Beef Jerky
• Dried Fruit
• Nuts
• Tuna meals
• Energy Gels
• Protien bars

Food - Camp

• Rolled oats w/ in a plastic bag
• Brown Sugar .in a plastic bag

Other

• Cash  / Visa
• Maps
• Pen and small pad of paper
• Bible and / or another book to read.
• Proof of heath insurance
• Camera (small) & charger
• Cell phone & charger
• mp3 player  & charger (hopefully same charger for all 3)

Some people will take along the following as well.  Depending on your trip you may want to consider these items:

Optional Bike Related

• 15 mm cone wrench
• Chain tool
• Spoke wrench
• Cassette tool to unscrew cogs
• Spare spokes, two of each length
• Spare brake and shift cables
• Cable Ties

Other Optional

• Padlock for campground lockers (or hostel lockers.

Test

• Trailer Loaded with Bike
• Weight of load, and packing of load, needs to be balanced.

Advil is for mornings and evenings.  In the morning to help with any left over aches n pains as well as cramping.  And the same in the evening so its easier to get the needed sleep.


Band-aids are for blisters most likely or small cuts.  Anything bigger will have to be dealt with with aid from others.  When biking you are really restricted on what you can bring and you can not carry everything you will need for EVERY possible event that could happen.  Its better to plan for the likely events and adapt as required. 


I was going to build a solar charging unit for my phone / music player, but it didn't work so I was going to buy one, with only a couple days before I leave and lack of time to really try thhem out I've decided to hold off on the solar charger.  Its a neat idea but it seems that many of them aren't as great as they sound.  So plan B will be to scrounge up a MP3 player as they will go for 30+ hours.  And I should easily be in power range at least every couple days.  My phone I will leave off except for phone calls or blog updates, this will allow me to keep it charged for a few days as well between charges.  The nice thing about this plan is that I will actually carry less weight as a mp3 player is much lighter/smaller then a solar panel.


I am not taking a lot of food with me, which can really add up in weight, but it also means I need to find a grocery store quite frequently.