Multi-day touring (on a roadbike)

Hello!

This summer I am planning on doing a 6/7 day cycle tour around southern Finland. I have never done anything like this before so am not really sure what I need… in a couple of weeks I am doing a “practise” 3 day tour somewhere local so am starting thinking about kit now.

I am planning on using my Giant SCR2 (or 3?) and a set of cheap panniers I used when I used to commute by bike. Possibly a handlebar bag also, but not sure if they will be annoying with drop bars?

So, for anyone who has done touring, what sort of stuff do you find essential? I’m planning on camping kit (tent, sleeping bag, thermarest), spare set of cycling kit, one set of normal clothes, swimming costume, washkit, stove and one pan, plus bike spares and camera etc.

Also, are those chamois creams worth it (or something similar)? I went from no riding over the winter to riding everyday for a 5 day trip to Lake Garda at Easter, and then couldn’t sit comfortably for a while afterwards!

Thankyou!

Handlebar bag works really well. It means you can keep snacks, camera, money etc. all handy, so you’re not fishing around in panniers when you stop. The likes of the Ortlieb ones just click on/off, so it’s easy to take it with you if you go into a shop/cafe etc.

Your kit list seems fine. Add a small 1st aid kit though – and a pair of sandals or trainers. Waterproofs?

I know mudguards aren’t fashionable, but think about how your arse might feel after a couple of days of fishtail spray off the rear wheel. At the very least, have a look at your rack and see if it has a “platform” which might help. Waterproof shorts might be an alternative.

And YES to chamois cream. Apply it to both clothing and body.

Big question, short answer:

Southern Finland? Not neccesarily the best place to tour though flatish ans scenic ish in parts. I cycled the length of Finland last year and it was a bit…dull. Great for camping but watch the monster mozzies. I think I’d be inclined towards France/Holland/Spain/Italy – bit more interesting. Appologies to any Finns on board 😛 (the driving can be a bit erratic as well).

Luggage? Cheap stuff might work but is likely to perform – cheaply. If you’re in the middle of nowhere, you don’t really want a failure. Lots use Ortleib. Waterproof and tough. I use a bar bag with drops for valuables and bits n bobs. No bother.

Kit? Light is right. Try and get your total kit weight below 10kg. Be ruthless. The more you drag around, the more you’ll work and the harder it will be. Decent l/w backpacking gear is costly. If you haven’t already got it, expect £500 – £700.There are loads of kit lists on the net. I could provide my own version if you were really interested but each to their own… You can minimise weight by buying food and picking up water at the end of each day though I’d carry a couple of days dried food if going anywhere remote (like bits of Finland).

Bum cream? I use Sudacreme = excellent. We did a 4000m tour last summer with no ill effects. Others use Assos etc. Try the nappy cream and see how you get on. You’ll build resilience in the bum/plumbing area. My wife has a ‘bit of a reaction’ in the first few days of a long tour or when she’s had a lay off. This settles down as she gets back into it. Lots of riding, good hygiene, clean pukka cycling shorts and Sudacreme should sort it.

HTH

Have you got a pannier rack that fits your road bike? Most modern road bikes don’t have the required bolt holes. If your bike is a couple of years old you might be ok. There are work around such as the Old Man Mountain racks. I would stay well clear of beam racks, especially with heavy camping gear. If you have sorted this out already ignore this bit.

I spent a couple of months camping and touring through Scandinavia with 2 rear panniers and a bar bag. However I did pack extremely light (tiny tent, only 1 set of cycling clothes + 1 normal T shirt). I got away with this by being extremely lucky with the weather and quite smelly.

My kit:

On the bike:

And next to a more heavily laden bike that was being ridden by a tiny Dutch woman (she cycled the same number of ks as me that day over some **** huge hills in Norway):

Thanks for the answers so far! Yes, I already have a rack but I will look at buying/borrowing some better panniers, and definately a handlebar bag then.

I have already got very lightweight tent and sleeping bag, and am thinking of buying a 3/4 thin thermarest… I’m quite good at packing light – I do fieldwork in remote areas often for a month or so and have to take about 20kg equipment so hardly any personal kit. Best effort was a month last year with 2 pairs trousers and 3 tops – and only got a chance to wash once with 2 litres water. mmmm….

Finland is a bit non-negotiable. My family is from there so I’m linking the trip in with a big “reunion”, and I am also pretty keen to see some more of the country aside from my relatives houses.

Sounds like you are sorted. Having a relatives to stay with will allow you a break from your tent and a chance to get your clothes clean.

Have a good trip!

I’d echo the above. I’d also recommend a 3/4 thermarest.

Also, get the widest tyres you can fit in your bike.

I’d do a couple of ‘fully ladened’ test rides over roads you know well too. I found that the bar bag made the steering realy light and couldn’t be my normal gorrilla like self with the steering.

Would a handlebar bag seem a sensible place to carry a DSLR? I am off touring the end of next week and was just going with rear panniers and tent on top of the rack but a bar bag sounds like it might be a good idea.
Camera and lens weigh 1.5kg so it would have to take a bit of weight.

Bar bag will easily handle a DSLR. In fact, you can get camera-specific internals for some.

right i better order one quick 😉

Re the thermarest, I nearly got a 3/4 one, but then I discovered the thermarest chair-sleeve thingy. These are absolutely great, but don’t work with the 3/4 length.

ditch the tent, get a bivy bag, if the weathers good then you’r sorted, if its bad aim for bird hides.

For food, buy it arround 4pm, any earlier and its a PITA carying arround, any later and you run the risk of shops being closed.

Breakfast, i made up porridge before i went with dried milk powder and suggar, oats, weighs nothing and a handfull with half a pint of boiling water will keep you going till you can find a shop to buy mars bars/flapjack/milk etc.

Try and stick to normal food. I tried to be superlightweight, took energy drink mix’s, whey powder and vitamin tablets. Yes you can pack 3 days food in one container, but after 48 hours you’r craving something substantial.

A couple of packets of cous-cous ready flavoured, weigh nothing, and will save you if you miss the last shop.

Now that I know you’re Finnish, I’m really glad I ‘suggested’ you might find the countryside a bit dull….. at least it was livened up by seeing Santa… 😀

Thanks for the porridge idea – will definately do that. And I had gift vouchers for a sports shop so bought a new thermarest that is only 410g this weekend!! Should help keep the weight down. I am hopefully going to cycle around Lake Costance this weekend to test it all out…

And don’t worry boblo – I know the Finnish landscape is not that interesting! I think I will enjoy it though and with living in the middle of the Alps some nice flat lake-filled views are always welcome.