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Following my speed wobble issue, I'm going to move more weight forward when I tour. 30% road. 30% forest paths. The occasional ill-advised single-track fun while loaded because shits and giggles.
Regularly carrying most of the kit for two people, and one does not travel light 😉 . I already have decent sized 9lt bar bag and a half frame bag. Plus two rear panniers.
I'm thinking tent (2kg) moving to the front will really help, possibly a sleep mat.
I've only got a single fork leg mount each side (Genesis steel fork). The lighter and simpler solution seems a wee porter/pizza rack at the front and move tent to that.
But, fashion suggests that two fork mounts are popular, and I could see the tent on one side and sleep mats (1.1kg) the other side might work...?
Any one experience of both?
Is it worth trying a pair of front panniers?
Years ago we used this arrangement on a tandem for touring. When I took the panniers off it took a few minutes to adjust to the change in steering.
It did seem to calm things down.
I use twin fork bags but have to be wary of how much weight I put in them as they are on carbon forks and the bosses seem quite delicate. There are 3 on each side but I've already bust a couple. Less of an issue on steel forks.
Other than that, they are great and I forget they are there when riding.
As per my reply on the other thread, weight low down at the front for the win, so front panniers as Bruce says.
The only downside is heavy steering at low speed, but the upside is lots of stability once you get going, plus when you walk the bike anywhere it doesn't do that stupid flopping over thing where the front wheel pretends the floor is lava.
I use one of these.
I'm mostly only out for one night.
With a couple of strap and an alp.kot bag I carry the light but bulky bits of my kit like a sleeping bag, sleeping Matt, down jacket and a bobble hat.
Most of the year it lives on the front of the tandem I use to get my kids to school where it does a sterling job of being presented with large precious cardboard crafted stuff I was not expecting to have to cart home
My usual bike packing setup consists of
seat pack
bar bag
frame bag
snack pouch on top tube
my last bike packing trip I wanted to reduce stuff crammed into my seat pack so I invested in a some of these
https://www.topeak.com/global/en/product/1129-VERSACAGE
and these
https://www.topeak.com/global/en/product/1746-FORK-DRYBAG-4L
Installed onto the bosses of my carbon forks (they do also come with clips / attachments to attach to forks without bosses and feel like they would be solid as) paying very close attention to the recommended weight limits because carbon makes me paranoid, I managed to move sleeping mat, bivvy + tarp plus jet boil and aeropress from my seat pack to the front forks
long story short, I was amazed at how much nicer the bike was to ride and move around by hand with all the weight distributed (relatively) evenly from front to back, plus it makes it so much easier for me to unpack and pack my sleeping gear and get a brew on without having to haul everything out of every bag first
would definitely recommend fork bags / cages
Pizza racks can carry coolboxes and bbqs. Both of which trump a jetboil and litre of warm water in a plastic bottle.
I also have the Brae 5L bags in the Topeak versacage. Great quality and very waterproof.
Can you load the rear panniers/rear load so the weight is inbetween the rear axle?
This makes a lot of difference to handling.
You have a similar set up for when we camp with the touring bikes.
As much weight in frame bag as well and tools etc on downtube. Light stuff in panniers and tent on rear rack.
Myn bike has long rear so helps me avoid heel striking pannier as well.
The pizza racks do look useful for wide loads and help keep the weight " in "the bike ,but still quite high and I have been tempted in the past as well.
I personally think panniers are better than fork bags. Plus you may even be able to have a rack with mini panniers on the front as well?
I fitted this to my kona smoke 29er
I havent had a chance to use it loaded, but so far it seems very sturdy.
it helps to switch out any fixings with spring washers any nyloc nuts.
afaik, Carradice bought the rights to the Freedom Limpet pannier system. It’s long overdue for a comeback.
took mine around mull, and reached tangier without any issues.
I’ll dig out some pics soon.
aaah senor, alas no door lock…
you can see that the uppermost section of the curved tube slides off (press a pair of pips), to allow the front panniers to slide up and off.
