no flat tyres

[TheDoctor]

Not really. The smallest banknote in most of Europe is 5 Euro - about 6 of your dollars.

 

[Nigeyy]

Ouch.... Back to crisp packets and tooth paste tubes I'd say!

Not really. The smallest banknote in most of Europe is 5 Euro - about 6 of your dollars.

 

[slowmotion]

This is a good resource for lightweight touring.

Wow! Thanks for that link. I was carrying 10kg of stuff just to cycle 67 miles in Holland for a four day stay with a roof over my head.

Edit: Blimey! He is a complete nutter. I love the bit where he says that the only reason for washing your body or clothes is because the weight of the dirt you pick up, if you stay dirty, slows you down.

 

[snorri]

and if I get lost on a regular basis then that will be quite the norm for me. I seem to remember reading somewhere that its best not to worry about being slightly misplaced, just take it as another way of discovering different places. Unfortunately that didnt work for me as, more often than not, I'd be going round in circles.

Discovering different places,..... and making new friends.. A hand compass hooked on a belt loop reduces the risk of going round in circles.

 

[andrew_s]

Work out what you can fix on your bike with your multitool first (e.g. mine will do all the fastenings on my commute bike except the wheel nuts (fixed), it also has a spoke spanner which fits the spoke nipples on that bike. Then work out what extra stuff you might need (in my case a 15 mm spanner to get the wheels off).

Make sure that your multitool will actually fit into and rotate far enough to do up any fastenings.
A common problem area is rack struts that attach on the inside of the seatstay. Also some bottle cages can be obstructive enough to stop you tightening loose bottle cage bolts with a bulky multitool.

 

[winterwonderer]

Some great tips there. Keep them coming. I really am taking all this on board. In fact I have started to feel a lot lighter in myself after reading your replies! I guess my head is reeling with the route planning, how much gear, which gear, how many gears, and all the troublesome things that may happen along the way that I have lost focus on why I I am doing it in the first place. I felt I had to be ultra prepared after my experiences of solo mountain wild camping . So I have told myself to try and take my feet of the pedals and freewheel a little bit ( well thats what the nice doctor here says I have to do).
As for keeping the clothes to a minimum, well after reading Snorri' s reply I am going to have to start a new thread - I had just decided that I didnt really need to take a belt when he advises me to take one with a compass attached! - decisions, decisions.

 

[Nigeyy]

If, and if, you can do it, I'd heartily recommend a "Shakedown" tour. I know it's winter, but if you can find a nice day or two to just take your bike out on a trip for at least one overnight, it's worth doing. You'll quickly find out which things you value and which things are essential (e.g. some people have to have coffee, some people are fine not having a stove, some people can make do with a foam mat -not me! -some people can't etc. If you've never cycled with a fully loaded bike, it is different from a bike with no panniers, etc.

And let's not forget that it's not just working out what you should take, but also how you can pack it on your bike. You definitely don't want to be trying to make sure that you can carry everything at 1:30am when your plane or train ticket is for 6:15am.

Gearing? Depends on if you are in hilly terrain, how much stuff you are carrying, how heavy you are and if you are willing to walk. My only advice on gearing is that usually you always wish for a lower gear to go up a hill, never wished for a high gear to go faster down a hill yet on a tour......

As I think you are realizing, your destination can make a huge difference; touring in a well populated high infrastructure country (as is most of Europe) means you really don't need spare tyres -however if you were going touring to Outer Mongolia, for example, you may reconsider that! Also remember you can never pack for every eventuality (what if your frame breaks? Should you carry a spare?).

Hey, good luck -you'll work it out, just go for it!

 

[TheDoctor]

Nigeyy speaketh the sense there. It's well worth doing a short trip with luggage to work out what you need, what's nice-to-have, and what's not worth the bother. My first tour was for three days, and I took much more stuff than I would now - I've gone from 'what would I like' to 'what can I not manage without'.
Gears - you can't have too many low ones. I've used a 25" gear in the past, and I had no luggage. Admittedly, there was 5 miles of one in ten, but even so.
Care to post up some details of the bike you're using?
I'm sure we'll all have an opinion, if not more than one...

 

[srw]

If I were you I'd whip off the second-hand tyres and invest in a pair of Schwalbe marathon pluses. About the closest thing to unpuncturable that you can get. Just make sure you keep them well inflated.

 

[winterwonderer]

Dont you just love this site! Well done srw, I presume from the smileys that you have lost a bit of weight and it occurred to me that if I could lose a few pounds then I could take that belt after all ( a smaller one even ). I think I will join a wheel watchers class!
The Doctor asked if I would care to post up details of the bike I am taking so here goes-
It is a second hand Dawes Ultra Galaxy, it has 531 tubing and looks to be in a great condition. It seems to ride well but I am so inexperienced with tourers that I havent got anything to compare it to. It has a Brookes saddle, Tiagra 9 speed flight deck, Mavic A319 wheels, EX system saddle stem, ITM super europa handle bars and clipless pedals. Oh, and its a browny, red. Any suggestions for modification would be really welcome. I will probably have it professionally serviced before I go though I havent noticed anything untoward yet, but I will definitely take it on a 'shakedown' fully loaded and we will see what gives then. I did get a bit worried when I noticed the teeth on the front chainrings were a bit uneven, but I read somewhere that they are made like this for ease of gear changing. Does anyone know for sure if this is right?
What a journey this is, this is my first tour and as I retired last year, I know it wont be my last. For a newbie like myself to have access to all this input absolutely amazing.

 

[TheDoctor]

Ultra Galaxy? The textbook tourer! That should cope with anything you care to throw at it.

 

[winterwonderer]

Thanks, Doc. Thats what I wanted to hear. I splashed out on the bike as it is a longish tour and I obviously wanted something reliable. To justify the cost my plan was to sell it when I came back, ( recycling?) which had to be cheaper than renting one. Thats what I told the wife anyway. I cant believe she actually believes me!

 

[winterwonderer]

My apologies, just had a quick look at the bike again and its a Super not an Ultra. How much can I throw at that?

 

[TheDoctor]

Still everything + kitchen sink.