New To Cycle Camping / Touring / Journeying - What do I need?

[Tom B]

I have been thinking about trying out a bit of cycle camping.

Mrs B has given me permission to try it out and didn't seem too fazed when I suggested I might cycle to Cornwall (from Lancashire) and meet her there for the summer holiday we have planned.

Before embarking upon the Lancs - Cornwall trip or indeed any others, I thought I ought to give this bike camping a bit of a go first. So am planning a couple of overnight trips first. Perhaps a ride to York, North Wales and maybe the Southport Area. I might even start out with a trip to the local camp site 4 miles away.

I am a moderately experienced camper, in so much as we have been camping for the past 5 years, but always car based with a big tent and all the extras, incl a self inflating mattress and a double duvet, stove, chairs, 240VAC! We did buy a smaller tent for when we did the three peaks in three days, and for overnighting at Calais on our way to/from Quibron last year, but this is still way too heavy for cycling. I am planning on going pretty much as light as possible and am trying to avoid huge panniers, and avoid panniers if at all possible using just stuff strapped to a rack and backpack. I may consider one of those frame bags that fit inside the main triangle to carry my bike related stuff. I am not planning on taking lots of food, just buy it as I need it

My question is, what do really need..


Bike
In terms of bike, short of a lottery win, it is going to be my 2013 Ridgeback Flight

View attachment 344606

I'm planning on leaving the mudguards on they are fitted so as to accommodate 30c tyres, rather than the 28s fitted and I may fit 30s - likely Schwalbe Marathon Greenguard. Ill be sticking with My Spd shoes, probably just taking mountain bike type to allow me to walk around better, additional crocs/sketchers may be an option if I have too much space and they weigh hardly anything.

As much as I hate the weighty rattly fiddly doingy things, I think a rack is going to be essential and I've been looking at Alpkit's mool The setup in the review picture appeals. But the rack itself does seem quite short at only 320mm.

In terms of bike bits, I am planning on just a good quality multi tool, wheel key (i have security skewers , after recent mangled chain experience, a link extractor, some spare links, innertube and patches and a little pump.



Camping Essentials

Tent - There seem plenty of options.

Alpkit do the Orsos2 which weighs in at 1.6kg but £240
Whilst the Vango Banshee 200 weighs in at 2.3kg but can be had for under £100.


Sleeping Bag
I don't know where to start. I am planning on being a wuss and only trying this out during the summer months if the weather is poor I will likely cancel, so I wont need a big thick sleeping bag. Being 5'9" and slim build size isn't going to be an issue. So it boils down to keeping it to a sensible price, low weight and small "packed size".

Sleeping mat?

Cooking
I am of the view that no cycling must be done without at least one brew in a morning, so boiling water will be needed, I am probably going to get a small stove of some description with a detachable gas bottle. A pan of some description suitable for heating water/pasta and a spork will also be involved, as will sandwiches and eating out. The Myti mug is something like what I have in mind, possibly with one of the their Ti bowls.


Bags,
If the tent/sleeping bag doesn't come with a dry bag, I'm thinking of roll top dry bags for them and another for my clothing which will likely just be a change of clothing, gruds, socks, something fleecy/thermal and some highly compressible waterproof stuff.

Bike security. When we go camping with the car and take the bikes I usually lock the bikes to the car. What are the usual arrangements when touring?

Other than Bog Roll, What have I missed?

 

[I like Skol]

Watching this with interest as I have similar urges

 

[snorri]

..... if the weather is poor I will likely cancel,

A poor mindset to adopt for anyone considering cycle touring in the UK!
Why the wish to go pannier free? Panniers allow you to carry sufficient clothing to cope with most weather conditions negating the need to opt out if the weather forecast is poor, also providing space to allow for a change to more suitable clothing to explore your surroundings in the evenings.
Sleeping mats can be fine in warmer weather but inflatable mats are now available which take up little space and provide much better heat insulation from the cold ground than slim foam mat.

 

[Fab Foodie]

I'll send more info later, but at 5'9" the Banshee is fine. Also in the summer you can use it outer only. Alpkit do a good range of sleeping bags, Ive gone Down with no regrets, compact and warm ( no fun being cold). Alpkit 3/4 self inflating mat or the Pneumo.
Cooking by Pocket stove, esbit fuel, and alpkit Myti mug. Merino padded undies and regular shorts, merino tops, no socks, microfibre towel, multiwash liquid, head-torch.
Large saddle-bag, bar bag for camera phone maps, money etc.

I'm Looking at a frame bag to help spread the load, but it's quite doable as you describe.

 

[Tom B]

A poor mindset to adopt for anyone considering cycle touring in the UK!

So far this year I have managed to cycle at least 10 miles every day with a current 93 day streak and a daily average of 25miles. Afraid of the wet /adverse weather I am not!

What I mean is, riding out from Bolton to York, to camp over for one night and then ride back the following day for the sake of it when it is miserable wet and cold or riding to Cornwall, over 5days when a perfectly good lift is available through storm Doris would take some of the enjoyment out of it and lead me to cancel. Alternatively if there was a bad day mid ride/tour then i'd likely stay put for a day.

Why the wish to go pannier free? Panniers allow you to carry sufficient clothing to cope with most weather conditions negating the need to opt out if the weather forecast is poor, also providing space to allow for a change to more suitable clothing to explore your surroundings in the evenings.

I think they steal or take the nimblness away from a bike and make the handling much more ponderous. But I accept they may be a necessity.

Sleeping mats can be fine in warmer weather but inflatable mats are now available which take up little space and provide much better heat insulation from the cold ground than slim foam mat.

Are you thinkingthis sort of thing?

 

[Tom B]

I'll send more info later, but at 5'9" the Banshee is fine. Also in the summer you can use it outer only. Alpkit do a good range of sleeping bags, Ive gone Down with no regrets, compact and warm ( no fun being cold). Alpkit 3/4 self inflating mat or the Pneumo.
Cooking by Pocket stove, esbit fuel, and alpkit Myti mug. Merino padded undies and regular shorts, merino tops, no socks, microfibre towel, multiwash liquid, head-torch.
Large saddle-bag, bar bag for camera phone maps, money etc.

I'm Looking at a frame bag to help spread the load, but it's quite doable as you describe.

Ahh Another Alpkit fan. - I cant help but like them guys!

My concern with sleeping bags is how small they pack down to few places seem to advertise the packed size.

 

[Crackle]

That rack may be too small for panniers, as in, it leaves no room to adjust the bags better for heel clearance which may or may not be an issue. Or load bags on top.

I have always favoured synthetic sleeping bags both for bang for buck and ability to stay warm when wet, so far I've never got one wet, well once but I like to be prepared. The bag I currently have is a Rab Ignition 2, good weight, reasonable pack size, good comfort rating and a nice quality bag. I would always use a sleeping mat, even in summer both for comfort and insulation and keeping my bum comfy and dry when cooking. For cooking I've got a Trangia and it does very well so I've never looked at alternatives but they exist.

The trade off is how much you want to spend. Smaller better kit costs more, even though it's cheaper and more available than it ever was, it's still more, hence why I still use panniers and a rack, I'm cheap.

 

[robjh]

Do you really need a sleeping mat? Is it for warmth or comfort?
I've camped in the UK many times between May and September without one, and especially in July-August you are unlikely to need it for warmth. If however you want it mainly for comfort, that's a personal thing. There are times where I've spent a night twisting and turning over uncomfortable stones, bumps and roots when it could have been worthwhile, but I've still preferred to leave the mat at home to save on weight and bulk.

 

[snorri]

Are you thinkingthis sort of thing?

No, I was thinking of the product in this video, don't be put off by the long winded commentary, the product is good and when deflated is about the size of a pint beer glass .

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ovZQr8XujQ

I didn't mean to suggest you were scared of poor weather, but a good range of clothing enables you to endure poorer weather conditions for longer without discomfort..

 

[Fab Foodie]

Ahh Another Alpkit fan. - I cant help but like them guys!

My concern with sleeping bags is how small they pack down to few places seem to advertise the packed size.

Yes they have good kit for reasonable prices. I'm a fan!

 

[Fab Foodie]

Touring the Outer Hebrides with tarp and Brompton:

Long weekend with Banshee outer, hunka bivvy and cook-kit: The red stuffsack is my bulky Paramo jacket and the Blue foam mat was just a bit of extra and unnecessary comfort.

Full Touring, complete tent, Trangia, too much clothes, no barbag and a bit unbalanced!

Kitchen sink stuff.

But thought and good kit makes it all doable.

 

[psmiffy]

Do you really need a sleeping mat? Is it for warmth or comfort?

Do you really need a tent - Is it for warmth or comfort? - Ive camped all over the world without one - however, there are times when it rains and I prefer to carry the bulk and weight of a tent for those occasions

 

[Crackle]

Do you really need a sleeping mat? Is it for warmth or comfort?
I've camped in the UK many times between May and September without one, and especially in July-August you are unlikely to need it for warmth. If however you want it mainly for comfort, that's a personal thing. There are times where I've spent a night twisting and turning over uncomfortable stones, bumps and roots when it could have been worthwhile, but I've still preferred to leave the mat at home to save on weight and bulk.

As did I once but August can be pretty cold and I got cold a few times before buying a new fangled Karrimat thing, well actually I won it in a comp and it was a revelation. There are these new things now, basically a skeleton with big gaps which is supposed to support key areas and create pockets of warmth and fold down to the size of a packet of smarties or something. All a bit emperors new clothes 'ish but probably OK for certain situations.

 

[raleighnut]

I'd use the Vango folding stove,

I've got the earlier Epigas Alpine but they're very similar,gas bottles can be had in various sizes depending on length of trip.

 

[Vantage]

I bought loads of kit over several months/years ready for when I went off on my own little tour only to bottle it after 30 miles or so. Some of it has been used when I convinced my fiancée to go camping and it's been good stuff on a few trips now.
My matt is a Decathlon Forclaz giving a nice little cushion of air between my arse and the ground. It isn't self inflating but doesn't take much to blow it up and deflates and packs away easily enough to about the size of a coke can. It weighs almost nothing. But there is no insulation from it which is where my emergency blanket comes in handy. It's a reusable one and can be used for all sorts including keeping the rain off if you can't be arsed cycling through Storm Whateverthenextoneiscalled.
Also handy for keeping you warm till the ambulance arrives when one of Armstrongs tipper truck drivers runs you over.

https://www.decathlon.co.uk/forclaz-air-inflatable-camping-sleeping-mat-red-50cm-id_8298497.html

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00266H5VI/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1