Our first weeklong tour was uneventful because we did some prior planning.
Not only did we need the equipment to record the necessary data (altimeter,
cyclometer, watch, tape recorder, etc.) but the other items we chose to
carry with us on the bike worked out as well. The trick is to pack as light
as possible.
There are always a few hills and the less junk you carry up those hills,
the more enjoyable will be your experience. The discussion below can be
bypassed for those who just want the beef of
the list. I have also included a more thorough list written by
Adventure Cycling for those of you who are
campers.
So, besides a bicycle, here is what we think you need:
-
Originally, we wanted the largest rear panniers we could find. Then
we discovered that the smaller the panniers, the more lightly you are
forced to pack and that is a good thing. There is no such thing as a
waterproof pannier unless it costs a fortune and is brand new. You might
as well poke holes in the bottom so the water that will get in, can
get back out. I keep everything inside the panniers in plastic bags,
or in these roll-up, travel size, vacuum bags available at storage stores.
Many prefer is to keep almost all of the weight on a bike on the rear
to make the bike easier to handle going down hill. Others recommend
splitting the weight 40% on the front (but as low as possible) and the
balance on the rear. This recommendation is more pertinent to people
carrying the weight of tents and sleeping bags. But, I do use front
panniers even though we do not camp. We have found the weight of credit
cards or folding money to be easier to carry up hills than a tent and
sleeping bags.
-
This is for your map, sunscreen, camera, etc. We don’t use any of the
map holders one can find on the market because neither of us can see
well enough to read it without picking it up and holding it just at
the right distance for our bifocals. Do not forget, we both belong to
the Over-Fifty-with-Bad-Knees Club (a club you automatically join as
soon as you qualify). We did find that a one-gallon zip lock bag works
great as a waterproof map cover. We folded the map so we could see most
of the day’s route, and kept it dry inside the zip lock bag. If no rain
threatened, the zip lock bag was not used.
- Each ride
has recommended maps but other maps are available at German Book Stores.
Any good map that shows bike routes and has a scale not larger than
1:100,000 will work but the 1:50,000 scale maps will help you ride through
the towns and cities.
- We
carry the Alien from Topeak and a Leatherman Multi-tool. If I was not
so macho and hung-up on tools, I could do without the Leatherman but
I would need a small channel lock pliers if I didn’t have my Leatherman.
Consider carrying wrenches in sizes 8mm, 9mm, 10mm, 13mm, and 15mm (for
axel nuts). Remember, you might need two wrenches to adjust your brakes
and a chain tool is handy. I also carry a short, multipoint screwdriver
because the screwdrivers on the combination tools are hard to use. As
Red Green says, "If women do not find you hansom, they should find
you handy." (Not familiar with Red Green? you are not watching
enough Canadian public TV.)
-
Bicycle theft in Germany is a problem. Sure, there are many bicycles
for thieves to choose from and the chance they will pick yours depends
on how nice it is, how easy it is to fence, and how easy it is for them
to steal. If you keep your bike inside overnight, as you can at most
bicycle friendly lodgings, and if you keep it locked too, you will have
a much better chance of finding it in the morning - assuming that you
want to find it and have not decided that a stolen bike is an excuse
to take a bus home. All rental bikes will come with a lock.
- At
least one water bottle per person.
- A
short rope or cord of about 10 feet in length for tying bikes to fixed
objects on trains and busses. This is valuable. Keep it handy – we use
it often for something or the other. Mostly we use it to secure our
bicycles on public transports so they do not fall over on curves. We
notice that others use a bungee or their bike locks for this but I like
the flexibility of a short cord. In the evening, it can become a clothesline
extender.
-
Only a few and the smaller the better – mine are about 12” long by 3/8
in diameter.
-
The grocery store size for covering your bike saddle in the rain or
picking berries in the fall. Plastic shopping bags without any holes
work great for both organizing your panniers and for keeping clothes,
etc. dry when it rains. We keep one handy to cover our bike seat in
rainy weather.
-
Bring some zip-lock Baggies for lunch or snacks you buy along the way.
- These can be used for covering your bike bags (panniers)
in wet weather. Some panniers come with a rain covers, and those are
handy. But another option is to use large trash bags. Any type of rain
cover works great to keep prying fingers of ne'er-do-wells out of
your bags. Plastic bags can be rolled up tightly so they take only a
small amount of space and they do not weigh much. It sounds like I have
stock in a plastic bag factory doesn't it?
-
One for each size bike tire you have in your group. It is extremely
rare to have more than one flat at a time. If you do not patch inner
tubes as a matter of religious preference, you can always purchase another
tube at the next bike shop you pass. In German, an inner tube is,
ein Schlauch. Consider wrapping the spare tube with a wheel
liner. You know, the cloth or rubber thingy that goes over the spoke
ends inside the wheel between the metal and the inner tube. As an aside,
old inner tubes can be cut crosswise to make rubber bands of different
strengths and thicknesses.
- This
is to wipe your hands after handling a greasy chain. We also carry a
waterless hand cleaner that comes in small containers but I think we
are obsessing on that.
-
Try it out first. If it is more than a couple years old, the inexpensive
ones have a rubber inside that may get brittle and not hold pressure.
that would make it worthless. (Those of you in the OFBKC stop working
too when you get old and brittle). Topeak makes a great pump (Mountain
Morph) that attaches to your bike frame like any other pump but it has
a folding foot stand and a handle that turns sideways so it looks for
all the world like the one in your garage. It also has a built in pressure
gauge.
-
Consider an inexpensive pressure gage or educate your thumb to act as
the pressure gage. (The Topeak mountain morph has one built in.)
-
Make sure to include some spray disinfectant and a few extra large Band-aids.
Road rash is the most reoccurring problem and a fresh road rash must
be cleaned, sprayed, and covered for a couple days. What is road rash?
It is the rash you get from rubbing body parts on asphalt, cement, or
even gravel at speeds over 4 mph.
- Biking
shorts with crotch padding are best but any type of shorts will work.
Two pair for a weeks’ trip normally will do nicely. We wear the biking
shorts during the day and have a pair of regular light weight shorts
to wear in the evening. In fact, we carry ultra-light long pants that
have zip-off legs.
- One reader
suggests that women carry a lightweight wraparound skirt that can be
worn over your Lycra bike shorts for sightseeing or dinning out with
non-biking folks. I do not wear one at least not in public and never
over Lycra bike shorts. Wife Maxa might however.
- I used
to think that light weight cotton was fine but now I do not carry anything
of wool or cotton. All of our clothing is quick dry material so we can
wash it out in the sink and wear it the next day. If cold weather threatens,
I also pack a long-sleeve t-shirt. There are several new fabrics (like
CoolMax by Dupont) that are lightweight and wick moisture away from
your skin keeping you cool in hot weather and warmer in cold weather.
Unfortunately, the new fabrics are more expensive.
-
Try to find some without seams across your sitz bones like
most briefs have (both men's and women's). You can purchase
underwear that has a padded biking seat in most bicycle stores. These
will convert any pair of shorts into biking shorts. (By the way, please
decide before the ride which you will wear - briefs or panties. Your
riding companions will appreciate it.) There is a myth that real bicycle
riders do not wear underwear beneath their tight Licra bike shorts.
It is true.
- We like
to change into clean socks every day but we only pack three pair. One
pair to wear, one ready to put on and one that we just washed in the
sink the night before. If you buy socks made of CoolMax, they will dry
overnight. Remember, the lighter the better.
- A hotel size bar will do. In a pinch you can use it
to do the laundry (see laundry detergent below).
- In Germany,
it will rain on the average of 20 to 22 days per month for each month
of the year. That means you will probably get rained upon at least once
unless you ride only during the other eight to ten days. Your chances
of experiencing a shower on a 5-day ride is high. Try to find lightweight
raincoats (rain pants too perhaps but these are not as important) that
allow lots of freedom of movement. Poncho’s do not work unless you like
to sail. A lightweight bicycler's rain suit works better. When it
gets cold but is still dry, raingear will substitute for warm, wind-breaking
clothing.
-
Shorts are OK but if it gets cold some long pants or a pair of lightweight
nylon shell pants are ideal (they are light and do not take up much
room). I like the kind of hiking pants that you can zip off the legs
to make into a pair of shorts.
- Instead of
pajamas, I take a pair of lightweight long underwear and a long sleeve
t-shirt, Maxa takes a light weight nightgown. If it gets very cold,
I can use my long-johns as leg coverings and the long sleeve t-shirt
as a layer. Maxa cannot use her nightgown for anything but a nightgown.
-
Consider an ultra-lightweight fleece jacket that you can layer under
your raincoat if it gets cold.
- This
includes cosmetics, hygiene supplies, etc. But pack it lightly. You
only need a few days’ supplies so don’t pack a months’ worth. If you
run out of something, you can stock up in a market or a drug store.
It is best to use mostly empty or small travel size toothpaste, shampoo,
etc. Other considerations include; medications, eyeglasses, sun glasses,
sunscreen, toilet paper, sewing kit, sunglasses, sun hat (for off the
bike), insect repellant, rubber bands, compass, emergency first aid,
blister kits, photograph of your family (for making friends), camera,
earplugs (for sleeping), wristwatch with an alarm, and an undergarment
style money wallet or a money belt.
-
Do not forget any documentation you might need like personal documentation,
passport if you are leaving the Euro-zone, credit cards, cash, tickets
if you need them, cell phone or phone cards, address book, wallet or
purse.
- It
will substitute for a towel in a pinch. Most hotels, Zimmer,
etc. provide towels but only the most expensive accommodations provide
washcloths.
-
This optional item is for finding the bathroom in a strange room in
the middle of the night or reading your map after dark. If you belong
to the OFBK club (Over Fifty with Bad Knees), finding the bathroom in
the middle of the night may happen more often than you would like.
- You know,
those plastic things that hold two things together and go "click,
click" when you snug them up. The police use large ones for handcuffs.
- Like Arthur Dent’s multi-use towel that he carries in
Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, electrician's
tape or duct tape can accomplish anything a bigger hammer will not.
-
We buy small tubes of travel laundry degergent because after two days
clothes stink. We carry enough stuff that we can make it two days but
then then we must do laundry. We do it by hand in the sink. We wring
the washed and rinsed clothes dry inside a towel to remove as much moisture
as possible, then we hang it to dry on the clothesline or short cord.
We even carry a few clips with us and a 20 foot long light weight cord,
just for laundry.
|
|
Maps, first aid kit, tools, multi-tool,
tire pump, a few plastic bags in various sizes, bungee cords, duct
or electricians tape, a couple plastic cable ties, a short rope,
a spare tube for every size tire in the tour, tire repair kit with
a set of rim pry bars, some waterless hand cleaner, and a small
grease rag. Also consider a few extra spokes, some miscellaneous
nuts and bolts of bicycle size, an extra rim liner, some bailing
wire, and a little chewing gum. (Just kidding about the gum, but
I do carry some wire.)
|
|
: |
Bike bags, helmet, bike gloves, bike or
sport shoes, money, cash cards, 1 pair bike pants, 2 t-shirts, 2
sets of underwear, 3 pairs of socks, evening clothes for after riding,
toiletries and soaps, prescription drugs, hygiene items, glasses
and sunglasses, sunscreen, raingear, fleece jacket, small flashlight,
toilet paper (for the occasional emergency), bike lock, some clothes
pins, and laundry detergent. Other items to consider include cell
phone, paperback book, wristwatch, energy snacks, and a camera.
|
By the way, we pack the same
whether planning a three-day ride or a two-week ride. We just do
more laundry. You can purchase more detergent along the way, so
you do not have to carry much with you.
|
PACK LIGHT!
|
Back to the
top
: After we developed the above list, Adventure
Cycling published the following list (Bike Bits Vol. 2, No. 21, March 22,
2001) which they call a "minimalist's" list of bike trip essentials:
It depends on your goal, but I find that the list below may include many
things that those of us over fifty and who aren't camping, just don't
need.
The [brackets] below are mine, not the list's author.
- A light
bike with front and rear racks (both where you can load on top) and
two water bottle cages, strong wheels, and a comfy seat.
-
- A pair of biking shorts
- Silk weight Patagonia t-shirt
- Mid weight Patagonia long sleeve t-shirt
- Super Pluma Patagonia jacket. (rain protection)
- Helmet
- Synchilla pile sweater, Patagonia. (mainly for sleeping)
- One pair polypro socks
- Cycling shoes, if road riding and light hikers if off road riding
- Tights
- Rain pants, pneumatic Patagonia
- Capilene pants for sleeping
- Another silk weight or mid weight top for sleeping
- Patagonia baggie shorts and cotton t-shirt (for camp)
-
- One tube
- Patch kit with plenty of extra patches
- Derailleur (only if off-road)
- Mini Leatherman tool
- Mini channel lock pliers
- Allen wrenches - 1.5, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10 (only if your bike uses
them) my bike only uses 3, 4, 5, 6 7
- A few spokes, more nipples than spokes
- Duct tape
- Ritchey CPR chain tool
- A few rack bolts, nuts, washers, and a hose clamp
- Mini-pump Cooking
-
- One cook pot (1 quart per person) so for two you should have
a 2-quart cook pot. (share whenever possible)
- An MSR Whisperlite stove, with fuel bottle
- A 1-quart Lexan Nalgene bottle
- Two bike bottles
- Spoon, fork (use the knife from the mini-Leatherman)
-
- ultra-light sleeping bag (under 1.5 pounds; i.e., Kelty light
top)
- Foam pad
- Light weight floorless tent
- 4 pounds or less; i.e., Black Diamond Megamid sleeps 4) or "Bivy
Bag" if solo
-
- Two water proof stuff bags
- Four straps (a good nylon strap works for me)
- Map, big Zip-locks
- Folded paper, pen, stamps (a send away journal)
- Camera, film
- Sunscreen
- Bug dope
- Ibuprofen pills
- Credit card, phone card, cash
- Tooth brush, paste
- Mini-lighter & candle
- (ed. note: I would add a first aid kit to this list at this
point)
-
- Bars (snickers, mars, Cliff bars, Power bars, harvest bars,
Milky Way, a big variety)
- Cream of wheat
- Liquid butter
- Coffee (if required)
- Sugar
- Freeze dried meals
- Milk or soy milk powder
Back to the
top
All this food could be forgotten
when traveling in populated areas. Where groceries are plentiful.
General ideas – carry so little you do not need panniers. Strap tent
and clothes on front rack and bag, pad, the rest on rear rack. [Yah, right]
Know your bike, your equipment, and yourself.
Be sure your bike will not have problems. [If you are not a bicycle mechanic,
take it to a good one.]
Realize that anything you desire is available within a days ride. [Some
exceptions apply but sadly they are not listed.]
The fuel for adventure is creativity, and resourcefulness (you may be
able to eliminate a few things due to reuse, multi-use and the fact that
you are in a civilized populated area. For example: the food and cooking
stuff could go if you didn't mind eating at groceries, and cafes. The
tent could go if you planned to look for shelter like overhangs, abandon
buildings, friendly invitations, bridges etc.)
All this should come to 15-20 lbs. [Again, good luck with that.]
[What you do not need to bring with you because you can purchase these
things the day you need them is fresh food, beer, wine, juices, meats, sausages,
cheese, etc. The best place to find fresh food and an inexpensive bottle
of wine are chain grocery stores (Lebensmittelgeschäfte). Beer
can be acquired in the grocery stores too but the least expensive beer is
found in a Getränkemärkte, or drink stores, have a large selection
of beer and soft drinks but only a small selection of wine and spirits.
The Germans have a slang name for inexpensive wine, they call it Aldiwein.
That is because Aldi stores have a large selection of inexpensive wine and
liquor. Some is good quality, some just so-so but what they sell is normally
less expensive than in other stores. Lidl and Penny Mart are competitors
to Aldi. Cheap and cheerful, as Maxa would say. Yes, Virginia, we shop at
Aldi too.]
Ed. Note: The square [brackets] are the editor's notes and not from
the original list.
