adds21
Rider of bikes
- Location
- North Somerset
+1. I've recently gone for a pair of these, and they seem very good value.
Front Rack & Panniers
- Thread starter Plax
- Start date
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+1. I've recently gone for a pair of these, and they seem very good value.
That is fine with me. I only wanted and want to point out that lightweight is a real possibility, and as far as I am concerned makes the actual cycling more pleasant - but I am getting on in age and need all the help I can get. I also honestly do not think I am lacking in comfort. I have a warm PHD sleeping bag for my solo trips and a warm and decadent duo sleeping bag for trips with my wife, a comfortable and warm Exped mattress, a totally reliable and roomy (but too low) Helsport Rondane tent (or a Hilleberg Nammatj 3 GT for camping with my wife), and a Trangia stove to cook real meals. I take one pair of decent trousers and an elegant shirt (and a PHD down vest for when it gets cold). I have a serious first aid kit, and enough tools to fix the most common problems with my bike. All of this fits inside two rear panniers. People do not, at least in my view, seem to realize how little they really need, and how recent technology has lightened what you do need to take. You can now have a sleep system for 1 kilo (a Neoair and a pretty warm PHD bag), a tent for just over 1 kilo (Vaude Power Lizard), a down vest for 150 grams, and a stove and pots for under 400 grams. Personally, I would find this Vaude tent too small to my taste, but alternatively at 1800 grams a Helsport Ringstind 2 is spacious enough for even the most demanding solo camper. Minimizing the volume of your sleep system is the key, I believe. Once you have done that, everything will quite easily fit into just two rear panniers. I have wriitten an essay in Dutch for first time cyclo tourists for the Dutch Cycle Touring club, with two alternative strategies (for two people), both traditional and lightweight: http://www.wereldfietser.nl/images/stories/2009/de eerste keer op fietsvakantie.pdf Interestingly both strategies cost about the same but the light weight version was less than half the weight of the more traditional strategy. Comfort was not at all compromised, and the quality of the lightweight gear was probably better.
But of course, people must really do what they feel happiest with. I cannot wait to get on my bike again.
Willem
But of course, people must really do what they feel happiest with. I cannot wait to get on my bike again.
Willem
Many years ago I bought a bar dale and cheap pair of the (short-lived) of the Karrimor Aquashield panniers. I wanted a matching front pair as well. So I contacted the company and asked if they stocked them......... The reply was "OOoooh you are a vain little thing aren't you"
Crankarm
Guru
- Location
- Nr Cambridge
And are they still trading?
Willem - I'm really interested in those sleeping mats you mentioned. I'll have to look into them at the end of this trip. My sleeping bag also isn't quite warm enough so maybe I'll have to invest in that area too. You are right that the weight you are carrying has a bearing on the enjoyability of the tour.
There are now three mattresses that improve significantly on the self inflating ones: the Thermarest Neoair, the Exped Synmat Basic and the Exped Downmat Pump. All three are much more comfortable. The difference is in their temperature ratings: the warmer the bigger and heavier they are. The smallest is the Thermarest Neoair, at 410 grams and a packed size of about 1 litre. It is a summer mattress, going down to perhaps 5 degrees above freezing. The next one is the Synmat Basic, going down to offcially something like 10 degrees below, but realistically perhaps a bit less (I sleep cold), it's packed size is larger than that of the Neoair, and its weight is 660 gram. That is still very good for a matress that will be fine under just about all circumstances a cyclo tourist wil encounter. If it gets any colder there will be ice and snow on the roads. Finally, the Exped Downmat Pump at 910 grams. This one is a bit bigger again (but still quite small and easily packed inside a pannier bag) but its insulation is good enough for really cold weather like minus 20 or colder. If you only travel in summer at lower altitudes the Neoair will be great. If you also travel in Spring or Autumn, or at higher altitudes, the Synmat Basic is the best all round mattress. It is also by far the cheapest mattress: about 60 pounds. The weight reduction was achieved by a somewhat simpler construction, but that also made it cheaper. It is the cheapest of these three mats, and I think for most people it will be the best buy.
As for sleeping bags, I like the PHD bags, but they are not cheap. Also they are a quite tight fit (but PHD will do a wider one if you ask them). They are beautifully made and an unbelievably small package. One way to extend the range of a sleeping bag would be to take a down vest or jacket and use it inside your bag on those few days when it gets really cold. The trick is to make clothing multifunctional: why not use something that keeps you warm in the evening to keep you warm at night as well? I now leave my 500 gram fleece at home, and only take my 150 gram vest. The vest also packs into a minute package.
Willem
As for sleeping bags, I like the PHD bags, but they are not cheap. Also they are a quite tight fit (but PHD will do a wider one if you ask them). They are beautifully made and an unbelievably small package. One way to extend the range of a sleeping bag would be to take a down vest or jacket and use it inside your bag on those few days when it gets really cold. The trick is to make clothing multifunctional: why not use something that keeps you warm in the evening to keep you warm at night as well? I now leave my 500 gram fleece at home, and only take my 150 gram vest. The vest also packs into a minute package.
Willem
Ticktockmy
Guru
- Location
- Crawley, West Sussex
I am a great believer in using front and rear panniers as it spreads the weight across the whole bike.
Front left has my lightweight cooking equipment and that days food.
Front right has my wet weather clothing, first aid kit plus extra water for cooking if needed,.
Rear left has my lightweight tent, sleeping mat, spare fuel for cooker
Rear Right has any food, and clothes and spare inner tubes and folding spare tyre.
Depending where I am going and what terrian, then I fit either a high or low loader rack on the front.
Front left has my lightweight cooking equipment and that days food.
Front right has my wet weather clothing, first aid kit plus extra water for cooking if needed,.
Rear left has my lightweight tent, sleeping mat, spare fuel for cooker
Rear Right has any food, and clothes and spare inner tubes and folding spare tyre.
Depending where I am going and what terrian, then I fit either a high or low loader rack on the front.
I wanted to edit my last post to add some information on pillows, but the Cycle Chat system does not allow me to edit anything at the moment (why?), so here as a new post:
Exped have also just intporduced tw new pilows, an air pillow and a pilow with some syntehtic styuff as well. The air pillow is not only very light (85 grams and compact, but after a few nights I can honestly say it is the most comfortable camping pillow I have ever used. The foam pillow is supposed to be a bit warmer and even more comfortable, but also heavier . I have ordered one to try and compare.
Willem
Exped have also just intporduced tw new pilows, an air pillow and a pilow with some syntehtic styuff as well. The air pillow is not only very light (85 grams and compact, but after a few nights I can honestly say it is the most comfortable camping pillow I have ever used. The foam pillow is supposed to be a bit warmer and even more comfortable, but also heavier . I have ordered one to try and compare.
Willem
doog
....
- Location
- The beautiful south
I welcome your suggestions Helen
I basically had one pair of shorts, two T shirts, 2 pairs of pants / socks , spare cycling shirt,a micro towel, a small wash bag, a lightweight fleece and a small waterproof jacket in that pannier and it was stuffed. The other pannier had an f1 lite stove, lightweight pots/pan containing the stove,lighter etc, tent poles and pegs, a small packet of wet wipes, head torch, book, small clothes line and a few other odds and ends including small plastic containers with tea,sugar coffee and cream..... and it was stuffed.
My tent is on the rear rack, along with with a lightweight mat and lightweight sleeping bag both in dry bags....would really struggle to get the mat or sleeping bag in the clothing pannier
Basic setup is as attached photo that has done me several trips...reason for suggesting front panniers is that it would tidy things up abit and not feel so rear heavy on what is a pretty lightweight bike for touring purposes
I welcome your suggestions Helen
I basically had one pair of shorts, two T shirts, 2 pairs of pants / socks , spare cycling shirt,a micro towel, a small wash bag, a lightweight fleece and a small waterproof jacket in that pannier and it was stuffed. The other pannier had an f1 lite stove, lightweight pots/pan containing the stove,lighter etc, tent poles and pegs, a small packet of wet wipes, head torch, book, small clothes line and a few other odds and ends including small plastic containers with tea,sugar coffee and cream..... and it was stuffed.
My tent is on the rear rack, along with with a lightweight mat and lightweight sleeping bag both in dry bags....would really struggle to get the mat or sleeping bag in the clothing pannier
Basic setup is as attached photo that has done me several trips...reason for suggesting front panniers is that it would tidy things up abit and not feel so rear heavy on what is a pretty lightweight bike for touring purposes
Are you sure your rear panniers are 20 litres each? They look a lot smaller than mine.
My clothes are in the drier at the moment so I can't remember exactly what I have but it's certainly a lot more items than you have.
I put my down jacket in a small pillowcase that came with a blow up pillow (which I hated). A couple of very cold nights it's been useful to whip the jacket out of the pillowcase and wear it!
doog
....
- Location
- The beautiful south
Are you sure your rear panniers are 20 litres each? They look a lot smaller than mine.
My clothes are in the drier at the moment so I can't remember exactly what I have but it's certainly a lot more items than you have.
They are Altura Arrans 46 (not 42 as i stated) (having just checked) ..perhaps i need to stretch them a bit (with use
sgw
New Member
They are Altura Arrans 46 (not 42 as i stated) (having just checked) ..perhaps i need to stretch them a bit (with use). The top flap doesnt seem big enough to pull down over the top of the pannier when its full , which i'm sure reduces capacity to well below that stated.
Agreed.
I find that not using the top pockets for anything thicker than a newspaper helps, but the flaps should still be longer,
