Bright (?) ideas for reducing weight or volume when packing.

[ExBrit]

The innovation would be to develop a bicycle pump with an outlet to inflate tyres, as normal, and an inlet which could be used to vacuum pack a bag during a tour, thus reducing its volume.

At first I thought this would be a good idea, until I pictured myself brain-dead by the side of the road sucking the air out of my tire.

 

[All uphill]

How did the trip go, and how much weight / volume did you manage to reduce your packing by?

The trip went very well, thanks.

I carried around 2kg less than on a similar outward trip last year, and 3kg less on the return trip.

I dispensed with the pannier rack and used a large saddlebag, took fewer clothes, took a lightweight lock and dispensed with paper map and paperback book.
Before the return trip I binned half the clothes I had taken - I had intentionally taken worn out stuff.

 

[ExBrit]

The trip went very well, thanks.

I carried around 2kg less than on a similar outward trip last year, and 3kg less on the return trip.

I dispensed with the pannier rack and used a large saddlebag, took fewer clothes, took a lightweight lock and dispensed with paper map and paperback book.
Before the return trip I binned half the clothes I had taken - I had intentionally taken worn out stuff.

I do the same thing with international trips. I toss my underwear (well, not ALL of it) and use the weight saved to bring back gifts and stuff. I bet the cleaners at the hotel get a bit of a shock. Hopefully they're not looking at it thinking "this doesn't look too bad".

 

[matticus]

I toss my underwear (well, not ALL of it) and use the weight saved to bring back gifts and stuff. I bet the cleaners at the hotel get a bit of a shock. Hopefully they're not looking at it thinking "this doesn't look too bad".

Meanwhile, over on forum.underpaidhotelstaff.com ...

 

[Once a Wheeler]

Depends on where you are staying: but only take one change of underwear, socks and top; wear them into the shower every day where you wash, rinse and take off, finally washing and rinsing yourself. Hang the clothes up to dry and dry yourself. If the clothes are still vaguely damp on putting them on again at the end of the following day, they will be fully dry before you go to bed and you have a clean, dry set of clothes to start every day. Use shower gel on everything, clothing cleaners will irritate the skin.

 

[mjr]

[....] every day where you wash, rinse and [...] Hang the clothes up to dry [...]

Of course, one drawback with that is that the time taken washing clothes every day is more than the time saved by carrying fewer clothes. It's great if you don't want to spend time looking at the place you're visiting, but otherwise it seems like a suboptimal plan.

 

[cougie uk]

2 My spare clothes are voluminous, but light. I'd like to be able to vacuum pack them using my bicycle pump. We do something similar with spare quilts and the vacuum cleaner at home.

Can you just use the smallest bags and sit/roll it up to get the air out?
I never bother using the vacuum at home with these bags.
I'm not running the risk of my wife seeing me use tech like that !

 

[Sallar55]

A roll top Ortlieb pannier works well, a few folds to close and everything is compressed.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Of course, one drawback with that is that the time taken washing clothes every day

One set for evening, a set for the day. The ones for the evening don’t need washing everyday. Washing your ride clothing and drying doesn’t take that long..

 

[Sallar55]

One set for evening, a set for the day. The ones for the evening don’t need washing everyday. Washing your ride clothing and drying doesn’t take that long..

Depends upon where you wash and dry clothes. Some people need warm, cold, wet weather gear along with a change for evening and that could be warm or cold as the weather changes. Try going away for a while with your recommendation.😂

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Depends upon where you wash and dry clothes. Some people need warm, cold, wet weather gear along with a change for evening and that could be warm or cold as the weather changes. Try going away for a while with your recommendation.😂

Works anywhere in Europe in summer, including alpine passes where it may snow, but be 34C in the valley. The question would be different for say a 22 month round the world trip. But I’m sure we both know that’s not what he’s planning. You don’t need half your body weight in clothes, to tour round Europe for a few weeks in summer. If going to a hot country, even less need.

 

[mjr]

You don’t need half your body weight in clothes, to tour round Europe for a few weeks in summer. If going to a hot country, even less need.

There are options in between two sets of clothes and "half your body weight". If you don't resist false dichotomies, you support cannibalism.

 

[presta]

This is the only way of packing I've yet found to make certain cycling jerseys look unacceptably scrunched/creased! How could it be otherwise? The inside and outside of the rolled item are the same length and attached at the sides, so the inside of the roll will always be a tighter curve and wanting to crease to get back in sync with the outer of the roll.

I think it's better to fold them, slip them into a bag with an airtight closure (some like ziplocks, some like dry bags), then sit on the bag to expel the air while you close it. Then of course, drop the bags into the pannier so they're vertical and you can pull the desired one out easily. Put the pannier on its side while you load it to avoid the inner bags slumping or sliding around.

My T shirt after it's been rolled up as tight as it will go, and pressed under my mattress for 48 hours:

 

[Scotchlovingcylist]

Unless you're in the outback, other places have shops,to top up with provisions, too!!

This is good advice and something I learnt a few years back, unless you're an impossible fussy ester you can get sorted pretty much everywhere. Same goes for bike spares and kit, even if it's just an emergency Wilkos stop.

Dependant on what style of tour you're doing I've learnt kit can be washed every couple of days, gym style shorts do away with the need for underwear, flip flops are light and dont need socks, most hotels/B&B's have complimentary shower gels.

Pans double up as bowls, sporks are usable, Trangia burners can be placed between rocks without the need for the full system.

Also used power banks in the past but these are often heavy and again, unless in the outback there is usually somewhere to charge your gadgets.

Also rely on hospitality, most people are pretty friendly and if you're in a really tight spot majority of people will happily help you out, even if its just refilling water from the garden tap.

 

[Emanresu]

If you happened to go through Eastbourne yesterday as I did you would have picked up quite a few tips about lightweight touring.

https://www.sussexexpress.co.uk/new...alden-to-take-place-again-this-summer-4119984