hybrid bike touring?

[greenlegs]

I have a scott p6 2009 hybrid bike, and i fancy doing a little light touring. ie a day cycling and a night camping, but unsure how to adapt my bike to take panniers or a trailer.

I have a bit of an idea of the sort of light weight tent that i will need, but nothing much beyond that. any help would be great.

kind regards,

greenlegs

 

[Randochap]

Nothing wrong with that, though maybe you could change cassette to 32 or 34 tooth max -- if derailleur will accommodate and you're packing heavy and/or travelling through hill country. Other than that, it will suffice for touring.

you'll need bags and racks, of course. Get 1-person tent (if alone) and as light as possible -- under 3 lbs. If travelling in group, divide larger tent parts amongst.

 

[vernon]

I have a scott p6 2009 hybrid bike, and i fancy doing a little light touring. ie a day cycling and a night camping, but unsure how to adapt my bike to take panniers or a trailer.

I have a bit of an idea of the sort of light weight tent that i will need, but nothing much beyond that. any help would be great.

kind regards,

greenlegs

Your bike appear to have rack mounting points which makes the conversion to a tourer a relatively simple affair. You need to fit a suitable rear rack and purchase a pair of panniers. Mudguards are a worthwhile addition.

Trailers are one more bulky item to store and might pose a transport/logistical problem if you are catching a train somewhere.

If you are just dipping your toe in the water, then Argos have the bargain of the year in the form of their one man tent currently selling for the bargain price of £17.99. I have one that has served me well for the odd night out, a couple of coast to coast rides and a 500 mile tour. At the current price it is effectively a disposable item.

Sleeping bags - get the smallest and warmest that you can afford.

Alpkit stock decent sleeping bags and sleeping mats at good prices.

 

[greenlegs]

Thank you for all the help,

so are pannier racks a standard size?

greenlegs

 

[John Ponting]

Some racks are advertised as being for 26" or 700C wheel sizes. Some racks are shaped to fit around disk brakes. I swap a rack between my Scott Sub30 (26") and my Trek 1.2 (700C).

Have a look on wiggle.co.uk or evanscycles.co.uk for a better idea of racks. n.b. I'm not suggesting buying from either.

 

[willem]

As for racks, I think the Tubus Cargo for 28 inch wheels would be the best buy. If you want something cheaper, the Blackburn EX (not the mtn) is still pretty good. I cannot see if you have eyelets for mudguards at the front. They would be nice to have. Beyond this, I think there are no obvious concerns with your bike. Even the gearing will be ok as long as you avoid the hilliest parts of the world, and avoid taking too much luggage. Keep it under 15 kg, and preferably under 12.
The trick will be to not take too much luggage so all will fit into rear panniers only. If you need front panniers as well, that would be the expense for a rack and panniers again, plus another 2-2.5 kilo. So avoid that, and spend the money on getting lighter and more compact gear. The new Ortlieb City Line waterproof panniers are a quarter lighter and a quarter cheaper than the Classic Backrollers, so get the City Line rear panniers. They are outstanding value for money and indestructable quality.
Willem

 

[greenlegs]

that's great, thanks for the advice, i'll get shopping