First tour, advice please on emergency gear

[Kbrook]

I've have the opportunity this week of taking my bike on its and my maiden tour. I'm hopefully going to head to Arran on Wednesday and do a 3 night tour. I'm planning on camping so my bike is loaded up and weighs about 50lbs fully laden, the bike is about 20lbs naked, the rest is gear and food etc. Is this reasonable or over the top?
My main concern is whilst I am pretty capable at repairs I haven't got any method of sorting out a broken spoke, I also don't have a rear mech hanger spare. Do you guys regard these as essential, I've never broken a spoke but I've never ridden a bike this heavy. My wheels as you see in the photo have plenty of spokes but I am still a little concerned. Less so about the rear mech as I can't see me dropping it.
I've seen the emergency Kevlar spokes but can't find anyone within travelling distance who stocks it, in fact only seems to be SJS who have them, there is no way it is going to come in time.
So just wondered about what you guys think, am I worrying unnecessarily?
What do you think about my bike setup, look ok or wrong?
.

 

[psmiffy]

I wouldnt worry - worse comes to the worst and you break a spoke and the wheel goes out of true then disconnect the brake - I did over a 1000km in Denmark without a back brake after the rim wall started to unzip

 

[psmiffy]

Memories - my first thought after disconnecting the brake was that at least in Denmark there are no steep hills with hairpin bends - within 45minutes I entered the town of Lemvig - down a steepish hill incorporating what is probably the only hairpin bend in the whole of Denmark

 

[GrumpyGregry]

You need neither hanger nor emergency spoke...
You probably don't need a lot of the stuff you are already taking...

Have a great time.

 

[Kbrook]

Thanks, I'm sure I've probably gone over the top with packing stuff, but you live and learn and I'm sure as I'm struggling up the big hills I'll be regretting the kitchen sink I'm taking.

 

[snorri]

Arran?
Friendly warning, don't take a mobile 'phone, look what happened to this guy......
http://www.scotsman.com/news/man-bitten-by-snake-picked-up-adder-for-holiday-snap-1-1131590

 

[Racing roadkill]

Spokes and rear hangers have never been an issue, on any of my tours, even the ones that have been over 2 weeks. I hear the "you must have a spare rear hanger" thing, repeated over and over again. I personally think a spare fully grown giraffe would be more use. You have to draw a line somewhere, or you'll end up towing a LBS with you. Tubes, patch kit, possibly a tyre boot or two, levers, pump / gas ( if you have normal pneumatic tyres) a chain tool, multi tool, and a quick link or two, should be fine for a short ( ish ) tour. I also find places to eat / buy food as I need it, rather than pack anything other than things to eat 'on the hoof'.

 

[Slick]

Arran?
Friendly warning, don't take a mobile 'phone, look what happened to this guy......
http://www.scotsman.com/news/man-bitten-by-snake-picked-up-adder-for-holiday-snap-1-1131590

What do you expect, Saltcoats. Says it all really.

 

[Blue Hills]

I wouldnt worry - worse comes to the worst and you break a spoke and the wheel goes out of true then disconnect the brake - I did over a 1000km in Denmark without a back brake after the rim wall started to unzip

can't help asking why didn't you get it fixed before. Nowhere in Denmark can be that in the back of beyond.

Agree with your advice to the OP though.

 

[psmiffy]

There was no "before" - possibly should have invested in a new rim before i started out but it it looked like there was enough left in it - and apart from the section of rim that was coming away it was still perfectly true - not like the one i had unravel a few years earlier in southern France that around two and a half foot of rim came off with a big bang as as I was doing about 20mph down a hill - rode that one on the rim with no tyre for 20km to a bike shop where i got another wheel - very fortunate that a) I didnt come off and b) I met the bike shop owner on his way home for dinner after closing for the weekend c) that he had a wheel that would do

 

[Crackle]

32 spoke wheels will rarely go so far out of true you can't keep riding. I've finished a tour with 3 or 4 broken spokes on the rear wheel. That's a decent bike, looks newish, so I'd be surprised if you broke any. I even managed to ride 25 miles with a broken axle once.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Thanks, I'm sure I've probably gone over the top with packing stuff, but you live and learn and I'm sure as I'm struggling up the big hills I'll be regretting the kitchen sink I'm taking.

I dragged a folding spare mtb tyre the length of Wales, along with a ridiculous number and variety of tools. I now travel light.

 

[Ticktockmy]

Equipment weight seems about right for a first timer, all part of the learning curve, after your first trip you can see what was not used and bin it on your next trip.
I always carry a few spare spokes, but for the rear wheel I cut off the mushroom head then bend a "S" shape into that end then if I break a rear spoke on the cassette side, I just have to remove the broken spoke then fiddle the "S" end into the hub and then tighten up as normal. Don't bother about a spare hanger the chances of breaking one on a tour is very unlikely, Over the years I have hauled my bike through Asia and Africa and Europe and never had a hanger break, I have broken a rear skewer on one occasion but I had a spare. .

 

[Kbrook]

Thanks all, weather looking not too bad. Another question is how much water to take?I'm thinking just a 2 litre bottle and refill as I need it.
I'm sort of regretting buying my Trangia stove, seems a bit heavy in hindsight, maybe should have gone for gas,then again I would still have to carry pans etc. It's all very new to me at, not camped in the last 40 years.

 

[robgul]

I'm about to go on a 2 week tour - this is my list which looks like it's heavy and bulky, it isn't!

Tools:
Plastic gloves
2 off Tubes (for tyre size)
Puncture repair kit
Tyre levers
3 off CO2 cartridges & connector
Pump (mini track pump housed in frame seat tube)
Folding tyre 700 x 25 [The spare folding tyre is as emergency cover for the whole group of 11 and we'll take it in turns to carry it]
Chain splitter (in light alloy multi-tool)
Multi-tool
3 off Magic chain links 8speed
Oil (3-in-1 spray)
Rag
Cable ties, nuts & bolts, tape
Kevlar replacement spoke & key
Cassette removal tool (Unior)
2 off Toeclip straps for attaching anything
Waterproofs/Clothes:
Jacket (lightweight, windproof)
Jacket (clear PVC "racing cape")
Helmet cover
Rainlegs
Arm & leg warmers
Spare gloves
Misc:
Lock & cable loop for helmet locking
Strap for holding bike on train
Spork
Swiss Army knife
Mini First Aid kit
Sterilising tablets
Medical kit/pills (personal)
Suncream

Rob