skudupnorth
Cycling Skoda lover
- Location
- Astley,Manchester
Dry bags
- Thread starter Crankarm
- Start date
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doog
....
- Location
- The beautiful south
with two rear panniers only, I presume your sleeping bag and mat goes into one and everything else into the other
Have a look here, from my recent trip to Norway, so with cold weather gear as well (it is the bike on the left): http://picasaweb.goo...640382618031026
The trick is compact sleeping gear. A small high quality PHD down bag and on this trip an Exped Downmat, together filling no more than half the right hand pannier. Clothing filled the other half. The left hand pannier had the cooking stuff, some food, a down vest for when things would get very cold. More generally, only the left pannier had things I might need while en route. The right hand one had all the stuff that had to stay dry at all cost. I had the potentially wet and dirty tent on top of the rack. Rain gear strapped under the top straps of the panniers for the same reason, together with a light extra sweater for when things would get colder in a small waterpoof bag. Meths fuel bottle in a Bikebuddy under the down tube. The handlebar bag for wallet, passport, first aid kit, medication, telephone, sunglasses, spare tube, and tyre levers.
As I have written here before, the trick is to reduce volume to the extent that you do not need front panniers. You can use the money you save on the front rack and panniers to spend on lighter and more compact sleeping gear. A front rack and panniers weigh some 2-2.5 kg, empty. To be honest, this only works if you do not overload the rear of the bike. If you carry more than 15 kg, handling begins to be affected on most bikes.
It can easily be done, and without loss of comfort. I had a warm and comfortable (7 cm mattress) sleep system that could cope with sub zero temperatures (minus 5?), a Trangia 27 stove capable of cooking real meals, a spacious two person tent, and decent looking clothing for in the evening. Climbing is much easier if you carry less, I can promise you.
Willem
The trick is compact sleeping gear. A small high quality PHD down bag and on this trip an Exped Downmat, together filling no more than half the right hand pannier. Clothing filled the other half. The left hand pannier had the cooking stuff, some food, a down vest for when things would get very cold. More generally, only the left pannier had things I might need while en route. The right hand one had all the stuff that had to stay dry at all cost. I had the potentially wet and dirty tent on top of the rack. Rain gear strapped under the top straps of the panniers for the same reason, together with a light extra sweater for when things would get colder in a small waterpoof bag. Meths fuel bottle in a Bikebuddy under the down tube. The handlebar bag for wallet, passport, first aid kit, medication, telephone, sunglasses, spare tube, and tyre levers.
As I have written here before, the trick is to reduce volume to the extent that you do not need front panniers. You can use the money you save on the front rack and panniers to spend on lighter and more compact sleeping gear. A front rack and panniers weigh some 2-2.5 kg, empty. To be honest, this only works if you do not overload the rear of the bike. If you carry more than 15 kg, handling begins to be affected on most bikes.
It can easily be done, and without loss of comfort. I had a warm and comfortable (7 cm mattress) sleep system that could cope with sub zero temperatures (minus 5?), a Trangia 27 stove capable of cooking real meals, a spacious two person tent, and decent looking clothing for in the evening. Climbing is much easier if you carry less, I can promise you.
Willem
doog
....
- Location
- The beautiful south
thanks Willem
Really good informative stuff. I need to get rid of my current panniers and your kit looks neat and compact.
Really good informative stuff. I need to get rid of my current panniers and your kit looks neat and compact.
Tail End Charlie
Well, write it down boy ......
- Location
- In green and pleasant hills.
Every so often Aldi sell drybags which are well made. I have an Ortleib, but I reckon the Aldi ones are as good at less than half the price. You'll have to wait though for the next time.
jay clock
Massive member
- Location
- Hampshire UK
I agree with Willem. In fact I have the same Exped mat and a PHD minim sleeping bag. These fit easily in one Ortlieb rear pannier with my Decathlon T2 Ultralight Pro tent. Here is a pic with just the two rear bags. http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/pics/docs/00/00/60/05/large/23-DSCF5827__Large__JPG?v=4 On the rack I had my platic bike bag for the flight which also did groundsheet duty
I went to Spain in October and for some reason I had a dry bag on the back with the tent in. Probably I was worried about the cold (it was hot!) and took more clothes. I do have a 35L Ortlieb bag but they are heavy, and huge and after taking it to NZ I realised it (along with front panniers and a rack) just encouraged too much kit.
Pic from Spain http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/pics/docs/00/00/60/05/large/23-DSCF5827__Large__JPG?v=4
Pic from NZ http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/pics/docs/00/00/32/26/small/New_Zealand_January_2008_155.jpg?v=84
The drybag for Spain is an Alpkit one. Massively lighter in weight, and I got three for about £12 in a sale. The small ones are great to store stuff in the panniers
Happy touring!
Jay
I went to Spain in October and for some reason I had a dry bag on the back with the tent in. Probably I was worried about the cold (it was hot!) and took more clothes. I do have a 35L Ortlieb bag but they are heavy, and huge and after taking it to NZ I realised it (along with front panniers and a rack) just encouraged too much kit.
Pic from Spain http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/pics/docs/00/00/60/05/large/23-DSCF5827__Large__JPG?v=4
Pic from NZ http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/pics/docs/00/00/32/26/small/New_Zealand_January_2008_155.jpg?v=84
The drybag for Spain is an Alpkit one. Massively lighter in weight, and I got three for about £12 in a sale. The small ones are great to store stuff in the panniers
Happy touring!
Jay
Ticktockmy
Guru
- Location
- Crawley, West Sussex
I have similar gear, use one pannier for stuff which will be wet or stuff that it does not matter if it get damp, and they other pannier has stuff which I dont want to get damp or wet at all, but sometimes I do put on front panniers, if I am travelling long and far
jay clock
Massive member
- Location
- Hampshire UK
sorry Willem. have a look through here and enjoy all things touring related..... www.crazyguyonabike.com/julian
OP
OP
Crankarm
Guru
- Location
- Nr Cambridge
Willem you offer some superb technical advice - your advice on stoves has been nothing short of fantastically comprehensive and very informative. But some times you give the impression that any one else's method, experience or view point is somewhat lacking, daft or plain wrong. There are numerous ways to reach the same destination or to skin a cat. Sometimes others have very specific reasons for wanting to do something in a particular way which you don't. Perhaps there are aspects that you have neither considered nor appreciated because you have either made an assumption or over looked them or you simply cannot know them. For one thing there are many touring cyclists with very set ways of doing things which work for them and to all intents and purposes achieve the same end. We all have our own minds and I guess it is adopting a method or way of doing some thing that suits one's plans and fits in with one's general method. It would be such a boring place if everyone did everything in exactly the same manner.
Some one has already posted a link to the Ortlieb bags I am searching for, for which I am very grateful and these will be ordered over the weekend. I know the spec - PS 490 fabric with PS620 base, size (XS - 13 litres and S - 22 litres) and most importantly the colour I need, red and black. I might buy a couple of lighter similar volume or smaller Exped bags just to keep everyone quiet
. If the location in which I am cycling is warm and dry I will probably not even use the dry bag to store my tent. The heavy duty dry bag is just one option to stop the tent becoming soaked in torrential prolonged rain when it was previously dry and also give the tent some proper protection if on a long tour in remote inhospitable areas.
I think the Ortlieb heavy duty dry bags are made from the same weight of fabric that the panniers are.
I don't know, I might be wrong.
Perhaps some cyclists carry slightly more weight or volume in their panniers than they might as they have good reason or that they are just stronger cyclists. One of the most important weight reductions is to consider one's own weight to reduce it as far as possible whilst increasing one's power and stamina, so ones power to weight ratio increases to an optimum level. If one is 3 or 4 stone overweight one has to carry all this unecesary extra ballast bulk call it what you like, so the absurd quest to lose 150g from a cooking implement becomes rather ............. trivial and some what perverse. Life is too short to be saving 25g here 10g there.
You clearly mean well and are genuinely trying to be informative, but sometimes reading the only way is Willem's way gets a bit much. But please don't stop posting just tone it down ever so slightly ...........
Sorry Crankarm, if I sounded too Calvinist. Of course you must travel and camp in the way that feels best to you. However, I do try to show people that there are alternative ways of doing this. I thought I had put it rather humurously: "And finally one from the weight police: if you have more than a tent on top of your rack, you are probably taking too much...."
Anyway, enjoy your rides,
Willem
Anyway, enjoy your rides,
Willem
jay clock
Massive member
- Location
- Hampshire UK
The one I have is very slightly lighter in weight but amazingly tough and suited to an Amazon trek. Very strong
smeg
New Member
- Location
- Isle of Wight
Why do you need dry bags? Things you don't want to get wet can simply be wrapped in bin bags i.e. your sleeping bag? Compression bags/sacks are good, I use them to squash up my clothes and have done the same with the tent, my 2 person tent is quite bulky otherwise.
smeg
New Member
- Location
- Isle of Wight
Good grief mildew doesn't form that quickly! Are you using a cheap tent with a poly cotton inner or something? I've often had to pack my tent wet and have never had any problems with mildew. How can mildew form between packing your tent wet in the morning and pitching it again later in the day/evening? 
