Touring on a racing bike - luggage solutions?

[Brains]

A rack can be fitted with 'P' clips, as long as you keep it light.
As well as the panniers, a saddle bag is a good option, you will need the space if you are camping/cooking
In addition; fit a bar bag, this is where you valuables go and also the map the you are using on the top (GPS to see where you are, map to see where you are going)
I would not even consider a rucksack for touring (What is OK for a 10 mile ride is not OK for back to back all day rides)

Rather than getting a full tourer, a decent non-sus old school mountain bike can be converted into a tourer fairly easily, the gearing is correct, you may just need to change the tyres and fit a rack and mudguards

 

[Mile195]

Thanks all. Plenty of food for thought there. The apidura website looks good, and I had a look at one of those Topeak racks yesterday at my LBS.

I reckon my tent I can get down to just over 1kg and reduce pack size if I leave the inner and groundsheets at home. I can just use the outer as a bivvy and use a couple of bin liners to put my sleeping bag on. It'll be a little draughty but no worse than those old canvas things they made us use when I was in the cubs.

I'm cycling to Paris early next year with a couple of guys. We're planning to do B&Bs, but I might load up as if I'm camping and use it as a bit of a test run - see what works and what doesn't.

In any case I'm getting quite excited by the prospect of it all now... It's almost a shame it won't happen for another 7 months or so..!

 

[steveindenmark]

These are photos of the transcontinental race. Maybe they will give you an idea.

http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=transcontinental+race&FORM=HDRSC2

 

[Origamist]

Apidura/Alpkit/Restrap are your best bet for lightweight cycle touring and bike packing - get a saddle bag, frame bag and handlebar bag (or two of the three) and you should have enough luggage space for a 5 day tour. The bike will handle differently (mainly due to the saddle bag), but you will get used to this. Rucksacks are more suited to ramblers, not cyclists.

 

[bigjim]

I toured with this setup this year. Switzerland to south of France.

I was B&B but did have space for a small tent and sleeping bag. This outfit would fit on a road bike no problem. This touring bike cost me £125 plus a couple of tyres I had lying around. Bought three weeks before I left. I just cleaned and serviced it. Had no problems.

 

[Mile195]

I toured with this setup this year. Switzerland to south of France.

I was B&B but did have space for a small tent and sleeping bag. This outfit would fit on a road bike no problem. This touring bike cost me £125 plus a couple of tyres I had lying around. Bought three weeks before I left. I just cleaned and serviced it. Had no problems.

Nice setup especially given the price! And I like the fact that as things go, it almost sounds like you did it all on a bit of a whim - makes it a bit more of an adventure. It's so easy to just throw money at trips like that, buy all the bells, whistles and gimmicks, but the whole notion of a big trip on a bike seems to lose something then.
It doesn't exactly seem like a step into the unknown when you spend 000's on kit and remove every possibility of absolutely anything not going quite to plan. Not of course that you really want anything to go wrong, but those make the more interesting and memorable stories when you get home, or so I've found in 10 years of motorcycle touring (and not really preparing very well the first couple of times!).

 

[galaxy]

In my humble opinion, you will get hooked. If you can buy a good 2nd hand touring bike, chances are you will be using it again, if not look just how well a Dawes Galaxy holds its value, you could use it and sell it again and loose no money.

 

[tyred]

Budget version - get hold of an early steel mountain bike, service it and put some Schwalbe City Jets, mudguards and a rack and hey presto - a pretty decent touring bike with a wide range of gears for very little money.

If you don't plan a very hilly ride, an old 3 speed with a big sprocket is surprisingly good for touring too.

 

[chaingangclub]

I was looking at apidura and think they look good, I've since opted for a couple of carradice front panniers and may get an apidura front handlebar bag. If you want a cheap option then get an ortileb waterproof bag and you can fashion something simular to the apidura seatpost bag using the clips.

 

[MarkF]

I toured with this setup this year. Switzerland to south of France.

I was B&B but did have space for a small tent and sleeping bag. This outfit would fit on a road bike no problem. This touring bike cost me £125 plus a couple of tyres I had lying around. Bought three weeks before I left. I just cleaned and serviced it. Had no problems.

Nice bike Jim. What is the rear bag?

 

[raleighnut]

Nice bike Jim. What is the rear bag?

Carradice by the look of it?

 

[bigjim]

Nice bike Jim. What is the rear bag?

Carradice Super C.

 

[MarkF]

Carradice Super C.

Thanks Jim, your verdict? And is the rack specific to the bag?

BTW You have the same cheapskate Admiral water bottle as I do.

 

[HorTs]

Plus 1 for Apidura and Alpkit.

 

[bigjim]

Don't have the water bottle anymore. left it at Beziers airport. The bag is superb. Packs very well with easy access. The frame is not specific to the bag. I bought it seperately. The bag does swing when you ride out of the saddle. Does not affect anything but you do know it is there. It is not particularly lightweight [less than panniers though] but it's position, on the seatpost, puts it as an addition to your own bodyweight, IMO, so I did not notice it that much and you can access the side pockets on the move or when stood over the bike unlike panniers. .