Bicycling Touring Gear

From: mezei_jf@eisner.decus.org (Jean-Francois Mezei)
Modified by: Kevin Fink kevin@fink.com.

Tools

Small wrench and/or Vise Grip.
Allen keys
Freewheel remover
Screwdriver
Swiss Army knife
Spoke wrench (to adjust wheel alignment)
Small bottle of "crazy glue" (CA Glue)
Small roll of heavy tape (eg: duct tape)
Puncture repair kit.
Some soldering wire (lead etc).
Some silicone sealant (small tube).
Chain oil.

Spares

One spare foldable tyre.
3 spare tubes.
A few spare spokes. (one spoke can be used as a soldering iron after it has been heated over stove).

There is more to it, but generally,you have to look at all your equipment, piece by piece and determine what is actually critical to getting you to the next town if it breaks (and the likelihood of it breaking).

For instance, what do you do if the hooks of your saddlebags break? Can you fasten the saddlebags in some fashion with what you have on-board?

For trips where I know I will ride on gravel/unsealed roads, I also bring 2 fatter tyres for my road bike. I can put them on for those stretches of gravel.

As far as the "hotel" side of things

Tent
Inflatable mattress
Sleeping bag
Portable stove
Mess kit (for cooking food)
Spices in a film container.
Fuel for stove (cannot transport that on airplanes)

As far as the bathroom side of things

Soap
Razor
Shampoo
Deodorant
Insect repellant (one bottle of skin so soft and one of the really toxic DEET stuff such as Deep Woods Off. Warning: those toxic chemicals melt LYCRA. Use only when really necessary. I call that stuff "agent orange").
Lip balm.
Suntan lotion
Comb
nail clipper
condoms
first aid kit
tooth brush
toothpaste
Laundry Detergent (in a small ziplock bag)

Assembly

LOTS of Ziplock Bags (resealable plastic bags usually for food. I put all my gear in separate Ziplock bags. (eg: tools in one bag, "bathroom" onto another bag, underwear in one bag, sweater in another bag etc etc.

Go to the Cascade Bicycle Club Home Page.

This page maintained by Kevin Fink kevin@fink.com