For all the pedal pushers out there that love long distance cycling. There are no gear requirements and no 'minimum distances' here.
Have you ridden for a cheeky overnighter or a 3 year global trek? Doesn't matter, you're welcome here.
Have you got panniers, bikepacking bags or just a backpack with the essentials? Doesn't matter, you're welcome here.
Have you got the latest in carbon engineering or your dads old 10 speed from the 70's? Doesn't matter, you're welcome here.
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All the stuff i am taking on a two month trip, including bags, the clothes i am wearing, excluding my phone and an actual book which i plan to send home though. Hope i didn't miss something, but i think i should be good. Leaving my chair at home this time.
Checked in my bubble wrapped my bike and waiting for my plane to southern spain.
Beautiful!! Where is the road taking you this time?
I have a few questions about the gear, if I may: Why did you opt for a cotton sleeping bag liner instead of silk? (My 30e decathlon silk liner is great and very light) Why are you taking and actual book if you also have a kindle? Do you wear a helmet when touring?
Well i am not 100% sure where i am going in the long run. The plan was southern spain, visit a friend, then to the montanas vacias, to the pyrenees. But it might be a bit too early for pyrenees. That's the only route i have prepared though, then a bit massif central and alps towards home.
I am thinking that i might also take a ferry from barcelona to sardinia or something, if i get fed up with spain for some reason. From there through italy, ferry to greece then head back north. I'll see, i hope pyrenees will be fine.
Anyway, i have a good bit of cycling for now, bit of a mix of badlands, altravesur (bikepacking.com) and other routes to my friends.
The liner is made of 'egyptian cotton' (never heard of that before), which is very light too, lighter than regular cotton. Very happy to have gone with this one.
I take the book just because i have started it already, it was a present.
I have no helmet, but i might need to buy one in spain if the police catches me, they are mandatory outside of cities. Thought i'd give it a try without :)
Damn that’s a dream route right there, including badlands and montañas vacias. I heard it can be chilly at night, but at least in the montañas vacias there are some shelters where you can build a fire!
If the Pyrenees are too cold going through the Basque country might be incredible, too.
Aah, egyptian cotton makes sense. I had a regular cotton one before, always felt like packing a brick.
Have fun, and keep us updated if you can and feel like it — I will be looking forward to it!
It's just a section of badlands, out of granada to the gorafe desert, don't want to do loops. I may do the montañas vacias loop, but only if i like it so much but also get fed up with spain, so not very likely, haha. Because the plan is to go to the basque country after vacias, then pyrenees from there to the mediterranean. That is the route i have, but who knows.
I just read that f.e. tourmalet opens mostly in june, i'll have to see what's up when i get there, it'll take a while :)
Yeah i will post something along the way, good to see you again!
Sleeping
Clothes
Hygiene
Bike stuff
Kitchen
Misc
Electronics
I believe that's it. So i have forgot a second rag i guess, i like one for the kitchen and one for whatever.
edit: two (smallish) panniers and two fork bags
*edited the adapters (and deleted the rags that i forgot)
Edit: Added the cables in the tools section
Where do you find such compact equipment? I use millets and blacks which are high street camping/adventure shops in the UK, mainly because I get discounted gear from them because of my job. I get the smallest stuff they seem to sell but its all still so damn chunky!
Do you have any specific items in mind? I can only really think of the sleeping bag that is very small, i ordered that one directly from the manufacturer, cumulus. I have a lite line 200 (and a 400 at home). The other stuff mostly from the local outdoor shop, some was ordered.
Thanks :) What tent is that? And is that a cookset on the plate?
The tent is a big agnes copper spur 1p. I bought it on sale but it was still quite expensive, i don't think these naturehike tents from amazon are much worse but cost like a third. They may be a tad bit heavier (possibly sturdier, the BA is quite flimsy but it held up fine up til now). I think my next tent will be a naturehike or something from decathlon again but i'll try to add some of the neat features this BA one has, mostly some clever pockets and loops on the inner tent. My old naturehike tent packed smaller i believe.
The cookset is on the plate, yes, i had no gas yet so now i have my stove on top of the pots, but in the mesh bag. It consists of a titanium pot and 'pan', my rag, gas canister (230g), an optimus crux windshield and a soto amicus stove. I had an optimus crux stove but ditched it on my last tour because i could just not get it to regulate the flame consistently which was very annoying. The soto stove works much better, but it doesn't fold like the crux.
I like the titanium pots, it may be tricky cooking dry-ish stuff but it's perfect to drink tea out of the pot. With aluminum you basically can only put it to your lips comfortably when the tea is almost already too cold.
These are my pots. I really like that the bottom of the pan fits snug into the pot when cooking, i always imagine it works like a pressure cooker and also used it to keep a sauce hot. Not a setup for people who go all out cooking i guess, but i found i am not the person to do that and i'm happy with just some pasta etc. I turned to cooking one pot pasta (2x weight in water to 1x weight in pasta plus whatever the sauce is). Saves water and salt too. I then also can get by with just some paper satchels of salt, but i wasn't able to find some here in the restaurants, might have to buy salt now.
*my decathlon folding steel fork and knife would also fit into the pots, but it's too much hassle if i eat a yoghurt or something so they are always ready. I don't like sporks, i used to carry my regular spoon and fork but got annoyed with the fork spinking through things.