What do people recommend the best way to carry a sleeping matt, sleeping bag & bivvy bag i.e. light but bulky stuff on a bike? I will carry all the other bits n peices in a rucksack.

I was thinking of one of the seatpost racks – anyone got any recommendations?

Also, what rain shelter (tarpaulin type) rain cover shall I get?
I'm assuming a purpose made one with lines/bungees attached will be best (practical & light).

Thanks.

sleeping bag in a sealed bag on a rack.
i use a tubus fly rack, sleeping mat folded to fit on top of rack with sleeping bag on top of it.
acts as a mudguard then. 😀

Personally I would not use a rucksack at all. distribute the weight around the bike. Panniers and a rack – tent poles along a frame tube – that sort of thing.

Tubus racks are the dogs danglies

2 bungees and 2 dry bags. Sleeping mat on the handlebars and the rest under the saddle. Works well and lightweight.

put the light but bulky stuff on the rider, if it won't go on the bike. The last thing you will want is weight on your back riding off road for any real distance.

ok need to rethink things maybe. i'm riding off-road for 3 days on technical trails so don't want to take the trailer – whats the best way to pack – minimum stuff on my back & load the bike up?

I've got a rack & panniers but thought something like this might be better instead:
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/LifeLine_Alloy_Seat_Post_Rack/5360033789/

Two ways of looking at this. My prefered option is not to even go there – camping kit and techy singletrack just don't mix! However if you are determined to do so then the two options are:

1) pack everything on the bike. Keeps the centre of gravity lower and wastes less energy – but you can no longer move the bike around under you nor lift the rear wheel so requires you to ride in a smooth style using momenteum.

2) put heavy stuff on your back – this takes more energy as you end up moving the weight of the rucksac around and might well give you backache – but you can still throw the bike around and kick the rear wheel up over steps. Your centre of gravity will be higher and this can make falls more spectacular.

I use option 1 but I tend to ride longish days of 40+ miles and when the going gets tricky just push the bike.

for shorter but techy days out use option 2

thanks. yeah my thinking was more towards option 2 for techy off road.

I've used trailers before when doing long & mostly non technical days, but hope to be light (hence bivvy not tent) as this will be technical & hilly so like the idea of a lighter bike.

A quick perusal of this month's issue could be instructive 🙂

http://www.epicdesignsalaska.com/ – or the drybag and bungees approach, which is similar but less refined.

only stuff on camping stoves I can see of relevance.

I'd favour taking a credit card and sleeping in B&Bs if possible. Then you only need a change of clothes and a toothbrush.

I've just ordered a bar mounted bag from Epicdesigns.

I'll let you know what they're like when it arrives.

only stuff on camping stoves I can see of relevance.

Issue 51, sidebar of the Spain riding tour article.

hmm epicdesigns stuff looks good. thanks.

do B&B enough, want a proper all outdoor adventure for this.

I rode the Sarn Helen Roman road route from Conway to the tip of Gower Peninsula, some pretty hardcore riding (and walking) on the way, took 8 days. I used a Vaude 20L rucksack for light stuff and seatpost mounted rack with 15L bag (can't remember the make, think it was Avenir bag, Topeak rack). Good for wheelies. Even in that period of time I wore through the retaining straps from the bag being jostled about on rocky muddy gritty tracks, soon fixed with some bungees obtained on route. This combination worked pretty well for me and I'd recommend it if you're going to do proper technical riding. Big panniers just don't cut it.

thanks all.

wolfboy – was that ride any good? thinking about possibly doing it sometime.

It was fantastic. I can't recommend it enough, in fact i'd like to do it again. Train to Conway, train back from the Gower. Weather was terrible and the first day took 10 hours, other than that great. There's some serious wilderness in Wales I can tell you! I didn't organise it so don't know all the details, I suppose something will be kicking around on the net.

Stu,

You can have a look at mine when it arrives in a couple of weeks 🙂 I have a seat bag on order too 🙂

Current set up is sleeping bag, bivvi bag and tarp (mil poncho and paracord) in an Alpkit dry bag strapped to the handlebars.

Sleeping mat deflated, folded lenghtways and stuffed in to dry bag and allowed to "unroll" so I can stuff cooking kit and clothes in the middle. Then strap to rear rack.

I have a frame bag for tools, tubes and "on the fly" stuff but a camelbak would cover this too.

SSP

Singlespeedpunk – Member

Stu,

You can have a look at mine when it arrives in a couple of weeks I have a seat bag on order too

Only ordered mine last night.

I'm still thinking about the seat bag.

Did you go for the small or larger one?

Regular seat bag to suit CaneCreek ST post 🙂 Still @14-16L capacity so about the same as the Alpkit dry bag I have been using.

SSP

I've just had an email back from Eric and he recons the small seat pack holds about 8 L.

Strange….