Critique my kit list please?

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TheDoctor

Europe Endless
Moderator
Location
The TerrorVortex
I can't believe people are objecting to dental floss! It's about half a cubic inch, weighs 15% of sod-all and you can fit a needle in the container, so that's a sewing kit sorted as well. There's always a button or something that comes loose.
Once you're carrying tents and such, I'm not sure it's worth trying to cut every gram you can. I mean, when your bike and kit weighs 30 kilos does it really matter if it's nearer 31 kg?
*envies*
 

Bigtallfatbloke

New Member
Small comforts can mean a lot

I agree. Especially if you are solo touring.

Mine include a Digital tv
Olive oil, salt, garlic, pepper, chile powder,mixed herbs ( I like to cook well)
Two night light candles
Two sleep mats

I might add a pillow as well...I used the stuffed clothes idea last time and it was difficult to start with, but then I got so knackered I would have slept on a rock. Goodsleep is crucial.

Each to his own on 'luxurys' I suppose.
 

TheDoctor

Europe Endless
Moderator
Location
The TerrorVortex
bonj said:
that's what the latex gloves are for. However, he absolutely must remember his neck gel, shoulder cream, knee soap, face gel, face cream, face conditioner, nose scrub lotion, thigh lotion, ankle soap, foot soap, and forehead spray. Where would he be without them? - quite obviously stranded. :ohmy:

He's already said he's cut down on the toiletries.


bonj said:
I'm still yet to hear a reason why he would need cable ties.

I've used them to replace broken pannier hooks, stolen bungees, missing guy points on tents and a screw that fell out of a computer bracket.


No offence, but if you're miles from anywhere, who do you think you're going to be able to borrow a "large wrench" from - a passing wallaby?

Any house will probably have a mole wrench, stillsons, water pump pliers or some sort of gripping and levering thing. Not many will have a lockring tool. Get the cassette off and you can replace a spoke. Been there done that.

Not meaning to have a go at you but I have to say all this talk people make of doomsday preparation for in case armageddon occurs and/or your bike literally falls to bits seems a bit pointless. Can't cyclists just get travel insurance like everybody else, or is there something i'm missing that dictates that while touring it's in fact constantly necessary to pretend to be living in the 18th century?

Do you really expect travel insurance will help you get your bike back together on the road to Whaikikamucau? Bits break, come loose or get totalled by baggage handlers. And yes, I know you could make a claim but that won't help you when you're at (say) Vienna airport and your front quick release has been run over by a luggage truck. Loop of cable ties through the axle and an allen key either side of the forks. Got me to the hotel, and the following morning I got to a bike shop. And that, Bonj, is why you need bits and bobs and some ingenuity.:blush:
 

Amanda P

Legendary Member
bonj said:
I'm still yet to hear a reason why he would need cable ties.

You can fix or replace a very large range of things (at least temporarily) with cable ties. They're very light, and very tough.

Examples: broken pannier hooks; tent guy loops; pannier racks; shoe laces; lash together broken tent poles; zip puller... With some gaffer tape, a swiss army knife, some WD40 and some cable ties, you can probably bodge just about anything.
 

rich p

ridiculous old lush
Location
Brighton
Brock said:
I'm exactly the same, and ended up with one of these microbead pillow things. They take up a fair bit of pannier space, but weight is negligible, and most importantly I can sleep like a baby on them. :ohmy:

[g]


The pillow thing is a big deal. I've never got it right yet. Clothes don't do it for me and you need a good kip on a tough tour.
I also got fed up with thermarests last year and ended up on an air bed which was heavier but luxury!
I may give the Microbead pillow a go, Brock.
I note that people who bought the pillow also bought 'Dr Fart'!. Hmmm!
 
OP
OP
jay clock

jay clock

Massive member
Location
Hampshire UK
many thanks to those of you who posted non-sneering comments. Most of you seem to know a lot about camping touring, and have been able to give me the benefit of your experience without attempting to make me look like a complete plonker. Most of you.

Cheers

Jay
 

bonj2

Guest
TheDoctor said:
Any house will probably have a mole wrench, stillsons, water pump pliers or some sort of gripping and levering thing. Not many will have a lockring tool. Get the cassette off and you can replace a spoke. Been there done that.
...but they're probably fairly unlikely to have an oil filter wrench or an old chain (you'd still need them to be willing to park their car with its tyre on it.) So you're still stuck.

TheDoctor said:
Do you really expect travel insurance will help you get your bike back together on the road to Whaikikamucau?
You can get breakdown insurance in new zealand you know. It's not a third world country ... :ohmy: ...duh!

TheDoctor said:
well ... yeah, i'm Bits break, come loose or get totalled by baggage handlers. And yes, I know you could make a claim but that won't help you when you're at (say) Vienna airport and your front quick release has been run over by a luggage truck. Loop of cable ties through the axle and an allen key either side of the forks. Got me to the hotel, and the following morning I got to a bike shop. And that, Bonj, is why you need bits and bobs and some ingenuity.:blush:
it's quick release got run over by a baggage truck? well why weren't you supervising your bike from the point when you'd got it off the carousel and out of the box and put it back together? And I'm not sure i'd have put it back together in the airport either.

Uncle Phil said:
You can fix or replace a very large range of things (at least temporarily) with cable ties. They're very light, and very tough.

Examples: broken pannier hooks; tent guy loops; pannier racks; shoe laces; lash together broken tent poles; zip puller... With some gaffer tape, a swiss army knife, some WD40 and some cable ties, you can probably bodge just about anything.

Bodge, bodge, bodge. Bodge this, bodge that. Let's all get together in a field in the middle of a field and toss it off over our old bikes that are all cable-tied together, welded up with bits of old plough nicked from french farmers, driven by chains that are held together with string and have sheep leg bones for crank arms, over a fire that we've lit by twirling a stick between two stones. Sorry to jay for ranting on his thread, but this makes me really angry how whenever anyone starts a thread about touring or camping or any long bike ride all the cycling doom-mongers start banging on about how you'll have to fix your bike with 'the elements' and bits of old bric-a-brac.
jay, like i say sorry for semi-hijacking, i'm sure everything will go swimmingly, your bike will be absolutely fine and you'll have a lovely time - just don't believe all the doom-mongering that you'll get struck down by mechanical failure the minute you get a few miles from civilisation. Take basic tools, but for things that are likely to go wrong, not things that aren't. Don't get the wrong impression of cycle touring, it's mainly about meandering through the countryside, enjoying the scenery, and discovering new places. What it's NOT about is a willy-waving competition as to who can battle on through the worst mechanical adversity by cobbling something together with some crap old twigs they've found.

i'm sure at the end of the day nothing will break, it'll all go swimmingly and you'll have a lovely time, all the best and like i say sorry for the anger, but this general strength of feeling DOES make me angry.
 
OP
OP
jay clock

jay clock

Massive member
Location
Hampshire UK
I am delighted with all the helpful and constructive comments. I have also discovered the "ignore" function in this forum - if it works as I hope, then I look forward to more helpful, friendly and supportive postings.

cheers!

Jay
 

bonj2

Guest
rich p said:
Bonj, stop digging. You're just making a prat of yourself.
Ah, DIGGING. Yes. Presumably you're going to tell me that when I'm riding to work I should carry a spade on my back so that should my headset suddenly explode I can dig a hole and unearth some fossils to use as a new one.

jay clock said:
I am delighted with all the helpful and constructive comments. I have also discovered the "ignore" function in this forum - if it works as I hope, then I look forward to more helpful, friendly and supportive postings.

cheers!

Jay

its implementation isn't quite perfect, as while you can't actually see the content of the post made by whoever you're ignoring, you can see that there has been a post - i.e. it puts a placeholder there. It's also a bad choice to be sycophantic and only listen to advice you like the sound of from people who like blowing their own trombone too much. ;)
 

Brock

Senior Member
Location
Kent
bonj, his touring bike is aluminium, can't you just be happy with that and leave the advice to people who have actually cycled more than 20 miles from home?
 

sloe

New Member
Location
Banffshire
Couldn't be bothered reading past Bonj's 1st post cos I knew there'd be fireworks, and B is of course the hate-flavour of the day, but most of what he said was about saving weight. So I'd say read Bonj's 1st post again, and the rest, and saw a few centimeters off of your toothbrush and take less toothpaste, Wurleitzers and sheep.
 

vernon

Harder than Ronnie Pickering
Location
Meanwood, Leeds
sloe said:
Couldn't be bothered reading past Bonj's 1st post cos I knew there'd be fireworks, and B is of course the hate-flavour of the day, but most of what he said was about saving weight. So I'd say read Bonj's 1st post again, and the rest, and saw a few centimeters off of your toothbrush and take less toothpaste, Wurleitzers and sheep.

He seems to be so obsessed with weight that I wonder if he indulges in pre-ride Onanism to shed a few vital grams ;)

One can take the Crane brothers attitude to weight and be totally obsessed by it or one can just relax and enjoy the ride(s).

Comfort comes at a price and the original poster is wise enough to spot the poor fondation of Bonj's knowledge.
 
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