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Credit card touring - absolute minimum
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Have you read Journey to the Centre of the Earth? That's a great book and a good guide to how little you need for road(ish) touring.
Points above about evening wear count if you're credit card touring, esp if not booking ahead. I used to take some thin zip-off trousers and a travel shirt that could be used on the bike plus some flipflops and a book. You'll need to be at the B+B early evening to get a room so you have more time to spend in the place vs more of an Audax attitude long distance tour when you might still be riding at 10-11pm.
Keep thinking along these lines, of ways to mix the 2, as I have a lovely steel audax / road bike that doesn't ride as well with much more than ~3kg of luggage. I was leaning towards the really minimal racing kit approach and short but more frequent (than racing) stops, heading to east/central France during a period of good weather. Use a B+B every few nights to get better rest. If the weather's bad - bus stop or B+B + just be prepared to spend a bit more.
Just to return to an earlier point. Looking after your arse is critical for multi day touing. I generally have an arse like rhino hide and dont even bother with padded lycra for rides of 3hrs or so but despite bing very careful and using a fresh clean pair of shorts every day and showering daily i have ( fortunately minor) bacterial infections on my arse
A second pair of shorts imo is essential to minumise the risk.
I'd be going with
Aero helmet
Aero jersey
Merino base
2 bibs
Arm and knee warmers
Toe things
Shakedry
Maybe something insulated depending on weather (rapha polartec alpha gilet I think)
Buff
Mitts
Glasses
Wahoo element
Phone
Wired headphones
2 water bottles
Usb leads
Powerpack
Toothbrush
Chamois cream
Suncream / lipsalve
Paste in a baggy
150g of gym shorts and tank and maybe flipflops (not if only room SVC)
Inner tubes
Multitool
Pump or co2
Levers
Chain quicklink
1-2 Zip ties
Tiny bit of smoove to top up my waxed chain if going over 1500km
I'd depend on shops for first aid / anything else. Maybe take a few electrolyte tabs if weather hot and I got stuck.
That'd all go in a 5-7l seat pack and a small frame bag (which actually make your bike more aero ironically).
Food in jersey pockets for the day and bought each day. If you were being a tart you could put a top tube bag on like the ironman nerds.
Oh and absolutely fitting TT clipons.
Basically you want to take what the gbdivide people win the race taking.
On second thoughts if you really want to cover the distance you need lights that will last a full period of darkness wherever you're going, that way you can do day-night-day-sleep(charge)-repeat. Or a dynamo and you can extend this.
You’ll be using the credit card to buy a train ticket home by day 3 🙂
I was thinking about this the other day - but for off road riding. The dream is a multi day lap of the lakes. It is probably going to remain very much a dream only for me.
The crux of the matter is, carrying enough stuff to survive, without ruining the experience of the mtbing. A big ride, a pub lunch, and another big ride after, for multiple days, while retaining a socially acceptable level of odour and arse dirtyness.
I wouldn't do it on the road, for the simple reason that that sort of road riding holds no interest for me. My road bike is long since sold, but shorter rides with high levels of effort/exertion for the speed and/or climbing were what I enjoyed.
Very much incompatible with the premise of riding all day and thus needing to ration/conserve your energy. Plus, very much influenced by current weather, the idea of wearing padded shorts plonked on a saddle all day, eugh.
You’ll be using the credit card to buy a train ticket home by day 3
Quite possibly 🙂
Not sure it would be so minimal off-road tbh. You might get dirty which could cause problems when checking into accommodation and the like.
I flew to Geneva with my Dad, with our bikes in cardboard boxes. We ditched the boxes and cycled back through the Pyrenees and came back on the ferry from Santander to Plymouth.
We each took one of big alpkit saddle bags. Bearing in mind the weather is changeable in the mountains, and it isnt always possible to clean and dry your kit over night, and we wanted to eat out in the evenings, and didnt want sunburn or infected groins, my packing list is below.
Bag:
Bib Shorts
Jersey
Light rain jacket
L/S Base layer
Cycling cap
Neck tube
Velotoze shoe covers
Chamois cream sachets
Swiss Army knife
Zip ties
Phone charger
Computer charger
Toothbrush & paste
Suncream
Chain oil
Ibruprofen
Germoline
Wear on plane:
S/S Shirt
Shorts
Flip flops
Boxers
Socks
Headphones
Passport
Print out of itinerary
Ferry tickets
Boarding passes
Credit cards
Jersey Pockets:
Arm Warmers
Gillet
Phone
Gels x2
multi tool
Spare tubes x 2
puncture kit
Chain links
Wear on bike:
Gloves
Helmet
Computer
Sunglasses
Shoes
Socks
Bib shorts
Jersey
Vest
HR strap
So 2 jerseys and 2 bib shorts....
I flew to Geneva with my Dad, with our bikes in cardboard boxes. We ditched the boxes and cycled back through the Pyrenees and came back on the ferry from Santander to Plymouth.
This sound a great plan. And a decent packing list too
I’ll add that to my long list of ‘planned adventure’ for the mythical future when I have time for things! I’ve already done Geneva to nice in the past, and that was great.
Paying the "on the day walk in rate" at a hotel? ohhhhh la de dah!
I was about to suggest everything i would take for bikepacking with bnb but then i thought, why not just decide for yourself, thats the joy of cycling, try it, see what works and repeat, you will find out whats suits you soon enough and enjoy it all the more.
Did the dynamo on Sat night and saw a few riders with literally nothing more than shorts and t-shirt, others riding double panniers, each to their own.
Last thought, dont get too wrapped up about weight, my average speeds with a small saddle bag are about the same as unloaded, it doesnt make that much difference
Wear on plane:
S/S Shirt
Shorts
Flip flops
Boxers
Socks
Socks and flip flops? Pervert... 🙃
When I said Geneva, I meant Girona!
(Have also done Geneva to Nice, but that was a looked after package trip)