Cycling UK Forum

folks can i see your lightweight set up.
going to try out this using just two bags one being
carradice camper the other
ortlieb barbag.

That would work, easily enough, if I wasn't camping! Even with the small Ortlieb bar bag!

well i intend camping using the akto.

my favourite topic..

http://www.soogate.com/lht-ferry.jpg

this was 3 months away, Edinburgh to Barcelona and back. I had a laptop on the saddle bag, as I was working.

DougieB wrote:my favourite topic..

http://www.soogate.com/lht-ferry.jpg

this was 3 months away, Edinburgh to Barcelona and back. I had a laptop on the saddle bag, as I was working.

excellent so spill the beens did you want for anything

jags wrote:

DougieB wrote:my favourite topic..

http://www.soogate.com/lht-ferry.jpg

this was 3 months away, Edinburgh to Barcelona and back. I had a laptop on the saddle bag, as I was working.

excellent so spill the beens did you want for anything

only more time away

were you camping, the problem i'm having is trying to get all the sleeping gear and a few cloths in the bag.
exped down mat
pipedream400 s/bag
thermarest pillow medium.
akto tent on top of bag.
barbag will carry crux stove small gas 1 pot plus small kettle.
i havent sorted out what cloths to take any advice on that
can i ask the bag support is it worth getting does it do the job it's supposed to do.
it seems very close to your mudguard

If you're going to embrace lightweight touring, the pillow has to go... stuff the sleeping bag bag or tent bag (if that makes sense) with the few spare clothes you have, for a pillow.

yes, I camped pretty much every night. I don't take a stove, as it's such a faff and you then really ought to carry food as well, and water, and oil, etc, etc. decent lunches, and then light dinners; you can eat cheaply on cafes and with street vendors. putting the tent up front between the bars was a revelation for me. I had a home-made sort of roll bag thing (made by a mate), and it really was the best bit of kit I've had in a long time. but the first few trips I made do with bungees.

the bag support is worth it. without the support the bag rests on the mud guard (really wouldn't be practical if you had no mud guards). having said that, it snapped while up near Glencoe, though that was after a good few thousand miles and plenty of off-roading.

I had been looking at the Salsa Anything cages, that might be useful for you.

but the lightweight thing is well worth trying out. it can all get a bit zen when you have very few possessions, but you can still get competitive and hang on to the wheels of the local chain gang, and laugh in the face of a 20% climb (and grin demonically on the down-side). for me it's all about freeing yourself from the things that you think you need, to gain a foot-loose and fancy-free feeling that being unencumbered gives you.

thanks for that dougieB, i'm not saying this is the way to go for me but i am going to give it a go.
i have to keep the pillow, believe me when i tell you i tried every kinda set up for a nights sleep under canves nothing worked until i discovered the best bit of kit i have the thermarest pillow magic.

jags wrote:i havent sorted out what cloths to take any advice on that

For weight saving, it's a good idea to buy some £10 digital kitchen scales... and start weighing your footwear! The difference between my old trainers and new ones is 250g a foot.

My lightweight touring set up can fit in a camper longflap:

Tent - Terra Nova Laser Comp 1 (or Akto)
Bag - Western Mountaineering Summerlite
Mat - Downmat 7 UL
Pillow - Exped inflatable
Stove/pans - Snow Peak Ti Solo + gigapower stove + canister
Change of clothes + rain jacket
Multi tool + tube + puncture kit

I addition to this I use my water bottles to carry water at the campsite, pick up food as I go and wear cycling sandals so I don't need to carry spare shoes.

Don't pack the night before you go, I wish I'd done a little planning.

I crossed Spain with 2 x 46L Altura panniers and together at check in, my entire load was 5.7kg with plenty of spare room. With planning (like you) I could have got that down to 4kg, too many tools, 2 locks that I didn't use, I took sandals when flip flops would have done, 3 shorts when 2 would have done, 4 socks when 2 would have done. Camera, phone and MP3 player when the phone could have done, etc etc.

I also took 4 full Michelin maps, I could have downloaded maps to my phone, but, I do like playing with and looking at maps. Also, the phone was stolen in Seville.

Next time I will use something like Doug's set up, I like the idea of better weight distribution, a narrower profile and less opportunity to take "stuff" I don't need.

Go for it I tour using camper long flap supported by SQR and Bagman,Carradice Bar Bag and Carradice Front Panniers. Camping each night for the most part. Cooking kit stove etc, days food in a dry bag strapped to top straps!
Just got back from Five weeks in France,Belgium and Netherlands. Only the rain put a damper on it!

thanks lads it's great to know people can do this without having any major problems.
i
m trying to order the new bagman support but everyone seems to be out of it.
anyone know of anywhere i can order it. i tried so far
sjs
spa
carradice
cheers

jags.

For weekend trips I put everything in the Longflap (Akto, sleeping bag, mat, stove etc), but there's only really room for a set of evening clothes (shoes not included) by way of clothing. To extend that I put the sleeping bag in a drybag on the front rack (small above the wheel job - Berthoud) to make room for proper clothing.