First tour...what to bring?

[Lozatron]

I've been a cycle commuter for a while now and going to do my first long ride in August - going to be going from London to Stoke on Trent (and why not...) - route is here

So a few questions:

• What do I need to bring? Planning to pack as light as possible. Reckon 2 pairs of shorts, 2 tops, waterproofs, 2 t-shirts, pair of jeans and a pair of shoes/trainers and a toilet bag - wallet mobile keys...all should easily fit in one pannier bag?
• What maintenance / cycle stuff do I need to bring. I'm thinking - allen key, couple of inner tubes, pump, tyre levers - anything else I will need?
• What do people do about catastrophic failures - I'm talking a broken wheel or something like that? Keep a list of nearby cycle shops? Pray? Phone their wife? As I'm raising money for charity and people have been very generous already, I feel it would be a betrayal of trust to not complete the ride due to a mechanical failure....at the same time...if the wheel goes pop, what can you do?

Thanks in advance for your help and advice...

 

[samid]

Some random thoughts:

A lock for the bike?

A little bottle of lube for the chain - might be needed if it rains too much (though perhaps not for a 3 day trip if you thoroughly lube the chain before starting).

Emergency tire boot (Park makes a package of 3).

Patch kit - just in case you get the 3rd flat.

A bit of duct tape - just in case.

When it's raining and the visibility is poor I feel better with a rear light. A small blinky does not weigh much. (I'm assuming you're not going to ride at night.)

Instead of jeans I'd take some kind of "travel" pants - usually weigh less, dry faster, take less space in that pannier.

 

[jags]

well your wheel won't go pop if it's the proper wheel,so you need a good 36 spoke rear wheel on a good hub and rim plus excellent tyre.tube,that should see you through your trip.

 

[Robert]

It's not very likely that your wheel will collapse. But a couple of spokes zip tied to the pannier rack weigh next to nothing. I always take zip ties and latex gloves which also weigh virtually nothing and keep your hands clean in case you need to do something dirty. And if you are worried a list of bike shops on your route might give you peace of mind.

 

[rich p]

Personally, I wouldn't take jeans. They're heavy, don't dry easily and can't be worn on the bike. I take zip off trousers which are light, convert to shorts or longs for the evening and dry overnight.

 

[Andy in Sig]

I always carry Rohan gear for the evenings. It is moderately pricey but very light and foldable and readily washable in e.g. a sink. Also all the kit seems to be designed to last at least 20 years.