How much weight do you carry when touring?

[steveindenmark]

Having just got back from a cycling holiday without camping gear I realised that I have to be far more disciplined in what I carry next time.

What weight of load do you carry when you are touring. Both camping and not camping. I am talking just about luggage weight?

Steve

 

[MarkF]

About 5kg's when not camping, this include 1.5kg of panniers and maybe 0.5kg of tools. 8kg when camping, so 3kg and 5kg luggage/stuff weight.

 

[MontyVeda]

about 13 stone

 

[Cush]

Far too much

 

[Ticktockmy]

15 Kg's max, I use the same kit for cycle touring as I use for backpacking, just use Panniers instead of a rucksack, and a few tools.

 

[Bodhbh]

When I started it was about 18-19kg of bike and +20kg of luggage (4 panniers, barbag and - sometimes - a racktop bag). I'm not half as fit as I used to be and this year stripped the bike right down - bye bye mudguards, spare bottle cages, front rack, B&M rack light, kickstand, bombproof Rigid Sputnik rimmed wheels, etc - and also tried to operate out of 2 panniers and a bar bag. So, guessing about 12kg luggage and 15kg bike.

It's makes a fair difference and like a commuting load compaired to what I was lugging about, but on balance I still prefer 4 panniers...but maybe with a bit more discipline.

 

[bikepacker]

My answer to this is, I have never weighed it because if I did I may not want to do what I do.

My cycle camping list is on my website if you want to see what I carry. http://www.bikepacker.co.uk/List.htm

 

[hoopdriver]

Depends - when I did LEJOG, and a number of week long tours here in Britain (staying at B&Bs at night) I took just a saddlebag and bar bag - the 23 litre Carradice Super-C saddle bag and a 5.5 litre Carradice Super-C bar bag. It was plenty.

On the other hand, when I did a major expedition in Australia - 10,000 miles including some big desert crossings - I was carrying up to 23 litres of water in addition to my camping gear, tools, spares, clothes etc. Even paring everything down (except for the water) I must have been carrying 70 pounds of weight on the bike, at least.

 

[psmiffy]

 

[Crackle]

I'm not sure if that's comprehensive enough, Smiffy.

 

[snorri]

It is handy to be able to carry the laden bike up a flight of stairs, there are stairs in every cycle tour I've been on.

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

Not sure I would like the answer if I knew - but for our aborted world tour, I know I could not lift my bike laden, but my OH could (just). No-one we met could lift his bike despite plenty of hefty eastern european's trying. The weight difference was one that meant we both cycled at the same speed and were equally as exhausted at the end of the day. It worked out better that way for us.

 

[hoopdriver]

It is handy to be able to carry the laden bike up a flight of stairs, there are stairs in every cycle tour I've been on.

So true...

 

[psmiffy]

It is handy to be able to carry the laden bike up a flight of stairs, there are stairs in every cycle tour I've been on.

The trick is to make sure they are down -

Tho getting on and of european trains with the two steps up can be a bit tricky - so far ive been lucky and the conductor guys have been massive and totally ignored my feeble attempts to help heave the bike onto the train

 

[dellzeqq]

1.8kg. 9kg including the bike. Mind you, if I had @bikepacker 's thighs I'd be tempted to carry an extra debit card.