Critique my kit list please?

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vernon

Harder than Ronnie Pickering
Location
Meanwood, Leeds
jay clock said:
I am off to NZ in 8 days time for a 3 week camping tour. I have camped for a couple of one nighters (feeble but true) and have done 5 one week tours staying in hotels. Bike is a new Koga Miyata World Traveller to replace my trad British 531 tourer.

Sorry for the long list pasted in below. I have packed it all in my four new Ortlieb panniers (front and rear backrollers) Plus an Ortlieb dry bag for the tent and ground sheet. The rear panniers weigh 10kg. the front 4.9kg and the dry bag 3.3kg. There are a few extra things in there not listed below (some freeze dried food for emergencies), and one or two of the things are not in yet, but the weight will be around a total of 18-19kg (max 20kg) based on what I currently have listed. For the weigh-in I kept out the one set of cycling clothes I will be wearing, plus helmet etc. I also have a small 3 litre bar bag but that is really just for essentials (wallet, camera etc). All kit such as sleeping and cooking is lightweight.

Weather should be like a good UK summer (south!) - ie 22-27deg day, 15-16 at night, quite possible some rain. I am risking SPD sandals for all weather.

Any views on

a) things missing
;) excess items (ie what the f*** you taking that for)
c) overall weight - how does it compare??

Many thanks!

Jay
ps I will also post on bikereadar...not been there much lately

bottles
lights

Sleeping bag
Thermarest
Pillow Thermarest do a reversable stuffa sack that doubles as a pillow. I've used a 2 litre plastic pop bottle - surprisingly comfy when wrapped in a few bits of clothing.
Silk liner
Tent
groundsheet

Gas stove
lighter
Pans
Spatula, plate, cutlery, bowl, cup. have you considered a spork a single piece of cutlery?
food tubs + bottles I used resealable plastic bags.
coffee
washup liq
sponge
swiss penknife Drop this if you are taking a leqther man. Unecessary duplication.

cycling shirt short sleeves
baggy shorts lycra
triathlon shorts
SPD sandals
bandana

Short fingered gloves
Helmet
arm and leg warmers You must be nesh if it's as warm as you claim it is
Buff
sunglasses
sunglasses case
ultralight jacket
Goretex jacket

camera You've got a lot of electrical gear here. If your gear won't take dry celss leave it at home. You won't always have access to mains electricity. It might be worthwhile considering a spare phone battery.
camera charger
tripod
phone charger
tikka headlamp
ipod
ipod charger
power adapter

shower gel It might be the wrong time of year but Boots sell popular hygiene products in travel sized packages
shampoo
hand gel
hand cream
razor
tooth brush
tooth paste
floss
shaving gel
nurofen - Generic Ibuprofen is cheaper and just as good.
deo
nail clippers
suncream P20
lipsalve
wetwipes
tissues
Washing liquid
mozzie Avon Skin So Soft if you can get it
plasters/first aid
sewing kit ??? Not sure that you need this.
flannel/sponge

rough guide
NZ map

Compass/thermomter
coat hangers Why?? Arenr't they bulky?
pegs
notebook Isn't this duplicated below?
light fleece
ordinary socks
pants
trousers
t shirt
base layer
ordinary shorts
ordinary shoes
towel
baseball cap

wallet
passport
mobiles
Bum bag
goggles
eye mask
ear plugs
notebook and pen

cable ties
lock
spokes
spare cleats/bolts Never lost/broke a cleat in 3000 miles of touring and 4000 miles of Audaxing.
multitool
inner tube
puncture kit Check that your glue tube has glue in it.....
chaintool
pedal spanner ?? Nah....
cassette tool
fake leatherman
Where's your duct tape. I've made a tyre boot, repaired a tent pole, repaired the arm of riding glassess, bodged the battery cover on my camera. Some folk wrap it round the body of their cycle pump. You are taking a cycle pump aren't you?
lubricant
latex gloves
bungees/straps
spare pads I'd be surprised if you wore out a newly fitted set on your tour. Fit them now and forget about spares.
spare cables Take a rear brake cable...it can be shortened for the front. Similarly for derailleur. Or fit new ones before leaving....
pepper spray

Have a nice tour...
 
Did someone already say about getting a generic charger for all the electronics? Maybe even ditch the camera for one which takes batteries, far easier. Does the Ipod have a radio? If not a small portable radio is useful for weather forecasts, emergency info etc.. Small binoculars would be on my list and are the nail clippers necessary if you have the penknife? Ibuprofen 400mg means you only need to take one tablet so you can half the amount carried. What about a whistle if you are planning some walking too. Apart from that I think you've got everything.
 

TheDoctor

Europe Endless
Moderator
Location
The TerrorVortex
OMFG! Where to start?

bonj said:
...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.

No you're not, read the post.

bonj said:
You can get breakdown insurance in new zealand you know. It's not a third world country ... :biggrin: ...duh!

Good luck calling the AA with a busted bike. And I know about NZ - like it's the size of the UK and has a population of 1 700 000 or so. You're much more likely to be miles away from a town.


bonj said:
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.

Well, you walk from the airport carrying a box then. Putting it back together takes 15 mins tops. Wheels in, tighten bars, seat post in, pedals in, find somewhere to dispose of cardboard box. 'S easy.
And no, I didn't watch my bike get hit by a truck! I suspect it happened while the bike was coming on or off the plane. Do you often get trucks in the baggage hall?


bonj said:
,<snipped the random rant>
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.

It's not fanwankery, it's being prepared when you're potentially miles away from anyone who can help you. All the things I listed have happened to me, over the course of about 25 years. Having about 4 ounces of bits and some inventiveness has saved me from uncomfortable situations. Kipping the night at an airport wouldn't have been the end of the world, but I'd sooner not have to.

*Considers setting up an 'ignore' list*:wacko:
 

bonj2

Guest
vernon said:
He seems to be so obsessed with weight that I wonder if he indulges in pre-ride Onanism to shed a few vital grams :biggrin:

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).

i'm not obsessed with weight. In fact I haven't said anything about frame material or weight in this thread. That's just you being prejudiced. I just find the 'make do and mend' mentality really gets up my nose. We're NOT in the second world war any more. We DO have something generally known in the trade as 'civilisation'.

In fact it was somebody else who mentioned that with a fully laden touring bikes you're more likely to break a spoke, so presumably this is due to the increased weight. Have you not considered the possibility that carrying all these heavy tools for the eventuality that your bike will break could be a self-fulfilling prophecy - the extra weight from the fact that you're carrying the tools in itself makes your bike more likely to break??

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

Like I said, true if the aim is to be a sycophant of those who indulge in the type of patronising cock-waving of which this...
vernon said:
Where's your duct tape. I've made a tyre boot, repaired a tent pole, repaired the arm of riding glassess, bodged the battery cover on my camera. Some folk wrap it round the body of their cycle pump. You are taking a cycle pump aren't you?

...is an archetypal example, then yes it is wise to ignore me. But, I'll not stop pointing out that this isn't the only philosophy.
Oh, and mending a tyre with duct tape is not just a bodge, it's dangerous, and I find the fact that you've recommended a safety compromise offensive.
 

bonj2

Guest
TheDoctor said:
Well, you walk from the airport carrying a box then. Putting it back together takes 15 mins tops. Wheels in, tighten bars, seat post in, pedals in, find somewhere to dispose of cardboard box. 'S easy.
And no, I didn't watch my bike get hit by a truck! I suspect it happened while the bike was coming on or off the plane. Do you often get trucks in the baggage hall?
:wacko: obfuscation. you cocked up. (or did you? :biggrin:)
personally I wouldn't have used cardboard, i'd be more tempted to go for something like this: http://www.wiggle.co.uk/ProductDetail.aspx?Cat=cycle&ProdID=5360026102&N=dhb Bike Travel Case
I just don't understand how your QR managed to get run over by a baggage truck. Was your bike in a fully assembled state when it happened? Was it in the 'care' of the airline's baggage handlers, or you? You aren't making sense.
 

TheDoctor

Europe Endless
Moderator
Location
The TerrorVortex
bonj said:
:wacko: obfuscation. you cocked up. (or did you? :biggrin:)
personally I wouldn't have used cardboard, i'd be more tempted to go for something like this: http://www.wiggle.co.uk/ProductDetail.aspx?Cat=cycle&ProdID=5360026102&N=dhb Bike Travel Case
I just don't understand how your QR managed to get run over by a baggage truck. Was your bike in a fully assembled state when it happened? Was it in the 'care' of the airline's baggage handlers, or you? You aren't making sense.

I see your confusion. The bike was in a box - you need to have a bike in something to get it on a plane. The box got run over (while the baggage peeps had it), and one of the quick releases got bent. They weren't in the wheels at the time. It wouldn't go through the axle, and it broke as I tried to straighten it. And I was using a cardboard box from the LBS to wrap the bike on the trip out, and scrounged another one in Austria for the trip back. So as not to carry a big hard case around for the week.

All clear now?
 

bonj2

Guest
TheDoctor said:
I see your confusion. The bike was in a box - you need to have a bike in something to get it on a plane. The box got run over (while the baggage peeps had it), and one of the quick releases got bent. They weren't in the wheels at the time. It wouldn't go through the axle, and it broke as I tried to straighten it. And I was using a cardboard box from the LBS to wrap the bike on the trip out, and scrounged another one in Austria for the trip back. So as not to carry a big hard case around for the week.

All clear now?

Yes, perfectly - I can tell you what your mistake was then. Your mistake was using a cardboard box rather than one made of a more sturdy material. I wouldn't trust my bike on a plane unless it was in a hard, custom made bike box, or if it didn't fit in one then that everything that got taken off was wrapped in as much bubblewrap as possible, and it was all packed up in polystyrene in a HARD case, or multiple cases. I'd be paranoid about taking my bike on a plane, and I'd check, double check and triple check my insurance to make sure it was covered for any eventuality.
 
Bonj does the word 'touring' trigger a pre-programmed response. Have you at some point been indoctrinated by a cult and then your memory wiped clean and a new personality overlaid. This might account for those strange dreams you are having where you realize you are in a dream it's because you really are! The real Bonj is 'in there somewhere'.

Have you ever actually been camping, never mind cycle touring? C'mon tell us. What is it about touring that winds you up so?
 

TheDoctor

Europe Endless
Moderator
Location
The TerrorVortex
bonj said:
Yes, perfectly - I can tell you what your mistake was then. Your mistake was using a cardboard box rather than one made of a more sturdy material. I wouldn't trust my bike on a plane unless it was in a hard, custom made bike box, or if it didn't fit in one then that everything that got taken off was wrapped in as much bubblewrap as possible, and it was all packed up in polystyrene in a HARD case, or multiple cases. I'd be paranoid about taking my bike on a plane, and I'd check, double check and triple check my insurance to make sure it was covered for any eventuality.

Well, cheers for that. I didn't fancy lugging a hard case the length of the Danube, and I got myself out of the situation with 20p worth of cable ties and a little ingenuity. I've taken a bike on a plane 3 times now (to Austria, Portugal and Geneva) and that's the only time I've come unstuck like that. And I'll say it again - no insurance in the world would have helped me out.
 
Having never toured (well, a disastrous mini-tour of Cornwall 18 years ago aside) I can't add much to the wisdom thus far dispensed Jay. But I am enjoying watching Bonj do his mad monkey dance yet again :thumbsup:.

Have a good time!
 

P.H

Über Member
Looks a pretty complete list to me, you'll probably refine it with time, most of the major weight decisions are personal. I'd rather carry too much than not enough. On trips where I've carried 5kg more than needed it's slowed me down a fraction. My one attempt at ultralight was a miserable experience.
You can get wind up chargers, I haven't used one, but worth checking out if one would replace all yours.
One item I'd add is a water carrier, the roll up type, it can be a long walk to the tap and your bike water bottles won't be enough if you're cooking. One that could fit to the rack when full could be useful.
My choice of pillow;
http://www.backpackinglight.co.uk/product301.asp

Have a great trip.
 

wallabyhunter

New Member
Location
Perth WA
Each to his own on 'luxurys' I suppose.

I met a guy on a tour (Perth-Albany in Aus) his 'luxury' was a cut crystal wine glass! He had it for the whole tour, 14 days, & last time I met him he still had it!

I reckon Bonj is on the staff of CycleChat, just to push things along a bit when they get slow!

Don't stress, prepare as well as you can, & then enjoy it.

gb
 
Location
Midlands
Industrial strength insect repellent – sandflies can be savage


Weather should be like a good UK summer (south!) - ie 22-27deg day, 15-16 at night, quite possible some rain. I am risking SPD sandals for all weather.

Yes weather can be like good UK Summer (not always 22-27) – However - I've cycled in NZ twice at or about this time of the year and been subjected to quite prolonged deluges both in the North and South Islands (2-3 days at up to 40mm hour) – all right at first in shorts and mitts with Gore-Tex jacket but after a while you begin to chill very significantly – quite often a long way to anywhere you can shelter – I wore Waterproof leggings, overshoes and gloves- something to put under or over helmet to keep rain off is useful - for gloves I eventually had to resort to a large pair of agricultural rubber ones (hands get just as wet from perspiration but stay warm longer) – and before anyone says it - yes cycling in that sort of rain is pure madness

Take enough tools – where there are bike shops in major centres they are adequate but can be a long way between them – ditto pegs I cannot remember seeing a laundrette

nitrile gloves or washing up –latex dissolves in the chain gunk

Gas cylinders are generally of the screw on primus sort that we are most used to in England – although the blue camping gaz clicky things are available in some places – again shops selling them can be scarce


Be Good it will be Mega

 

rich p

ridiculous old lush
Location
Brighton
psmiffy said:
Industrial strength insect repellent – sandflies can be savage


Weather should be like a good UK summer (south!) - ie 22-27deg day, 15-16 at night, quite possible some rain. I am risking SPD sandals for all weather.

Yes weather can be like good UK Summer (not always 22-27) – However - I've cycled in NZ twice at or about this time of the year and been subjected to quite prolonged deluges both in the North and South Islands (2-3 days at up to 40mm hour) – all right at first in shorts and mitts with Gore-Tex jacket but after a while you begin to chill very significantly – quite often a long way to anywhere you can shelter – I wore Waterproof leggings, overshoes and gloves- something to put under or over helmet to keep rain off is useful - for gloves I eventually had to resort to a large pair of agricultural rubber ones (hands get just as wet from perspiration but stay warm longer) – and before anyone says it - yes cycling in that sort of rain is pure madness

Take enough tools – where there are bike shops in major centres they are adequate but can be a long way between them – ditto pegs I cannot remember seeing a laundrette

nitrile gloves or washing up –latex dissolves in the chain gunk

Gas cylinders are generally of the screw on primus sort that we are most used to in England – although the blue camping gaz clicky things are available in some places – again shops selling them can be scarce


Be Good it will be Mega

No offence, Smiffy, but that font is 'orrible:biggrin:
 
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