Best way to shed weight (in terms of kit)

[crazyferret]

Hi

Me and a friend are planning on doing another LEJOG this summer but this time we are going to try and do it as fast as we can. You may remember our "cut that kit" thread and it would be great if anyone with ultralight touring experience could give us any advice. Since our LEJOG we have done other tours in Europe and Scandinavia and have managed to cut our stuff down quite effectively. So is there any way of going lighter without spending loads of money on a super lightweight tent and carbon fibre?

Our general kit list at the moment generally includes this stuff but can change depending on the weather.

Tent - Vango Banshee 200 ~ 2kg
Stove - Trangia gas, soon to be upgraded to small stove
Lightweight sleeping bags - 2 for 1.5kg
Roll mats ~300g
Head torches ~ 150g
Swiss Army Knife - smallest one 60g
Lightweight waterproofs
fleece/softshell - mostly for chilly evenings
Longs - depends on weather
Pump
Basic repair kit - this year was 500g as were in remote areas sometimes lighter
Camera
Phones
Chargers
Spare batteries
Toothpaste
Toothbrushes
Soap
Toilet paper
Insect repellant
First aid kit and pain killers etc
Navigation stuff - normally a map and compass
Money
Id
Pen and paper
Other more specialist stuff depending on where we are going and if we want any more luxuries.
All of this packs between the two of us into a pair of rear panniers each though it is possible to carry it all in one pair.

The main thing I have heard about is using bivi bags. Does anyone have any experience of using them and would recommend them. Any other clever weight saving tips would be greatly appreciated.

Many thanks

Jack

[PH]

For a fast tour I'd drop the cooking gear. It's personal of course, but I'm happy enough without it for a short tour. Other than that it looks OK, a 2kg tent between two is heavier than two bivi bags, but not by that much and the comfort levels are not comparable IMO. I've never had a Swiss Army knife and have never missed it, but that weight isn't going to make any difference.. The list looks a bit light on clothes, is that all you're taking?

[cycleruk]

You mention "stove" but no cooking pots etc?
Could you ditch the camera if your phone has one in?
Instead of tent could you use a "tarp"?

[crazyferret]

Wow, quick reply, thanks.

The plan at the moment is to cycle at a decent pace from Bristol to Lands End then go as fast as we can LEJOG then cycle back home to Bristol whilst on the way trying to catch the start of the tour. So that makes the trip slightly longer. We normally try to cook or make our own food as much as possible as it brings the price of the trip down (student budget) hence the reason for cycling both ways as well. The swiss army knife is mostly for opening tins of food in the evening and cutting/spreading cheese at lunch. The stove we have used up to now has been a gas Trangia, i do have a lightweight aluminium pan for the new lightweight stove. I have been thinking about leaving the camera behind, we will see what happens, I normally mount it on the handlebars so we don't have to stop for pictures, not sure how i would do this with a phone.

How much more uncomfortable are we talking with a bivi, or is it just something that has to be experienced to get a full sense of it. I might be giving it a try on Dartmoor in the next couple of weeks so i will see then what its like. How heavy are "tarps" and realistically how much shelter do they give.

In terms of clothes its normally just cycling shorts, jersey, spare jersey, socks and underwear. Though if needed we could probably do without changes. Another item missed was the lock, previously we have been a bit overcautious with a mini "D" lock, this will probably be changed to a small cable.

Thanks

Jack

[NATURAL ANKLING]

Hi,
Lots of things, but if you thinking of using a Bivvy bag then I might sugest that it is a large one which enables you to stow your gear in it too.
More comfort and storage for water perishables.
The one I have seen is large enough for two but is not for two just bigger than normal about 550 grams.
Fast and light, ditch cooking and carry fast ready to eat foods , also get your meals takeaway.

[Lusting my Pinnarello]

Don't take the lock
Look after your bike in the day when popping into the shops by one staying with them. You should need them at night. Just tie the tent line around your bike so that the tent falls down if someone where to help themselves.

If you are on a budget and need a stove then extra weight and space will be needed if you are carrying food which most likely you will. Don't forget the water you will need for cooking also.

Trip the compass, there are plenty of signs along the roads between jog and lands end

When are you going? If warm time then a tarp will protect you from the rain, but not rain. It would only save you around 500g to 1kg, generally they cost around £30

I also would take heavy tools , just a multi spanner, puncture tepair and small pump.

Just mark on your map where cycle shops are in case you need them, they may even let you pump your tires using a track pump

[Gearoidmuar]

Electric bikes or Motorbikes or maybe get yourself beamed to JOG...

Why do you want to do it as fast as possible?

[PH]

Electric bikes or Motorbikes or maybe get yourself beamed to JOG...

Why do you want to do it as fast as possible?

There doesn't need to be a why, for me that's the very essence of cycling.

[thirdcrank]

... Just mark on your map where cycle shops are in case you need them ...

I thought that was just for us dinosaurs Isn't there some way of getting that info when and if you need it on a mobile? That was what somebody posted previously. Not much weight to be saved there, of course, but it sounded like a good way of locating and contacting an LBS far from home.

[The Mechanic]

there is an App for the Iphone called Bike Hub. That gives you the location of nearby bike shops.

Edit: Just checked and it does not show Halfords. That may elicit mixed feelings but you might need an inner tube in a hurry one day.

[barneybear69]

Although I wasn't camping, during my solo self supported trip in 2011 I agonised over weight.
I have a kit list which you can check over http://nigellejog.wordpress.com/the-bike/

I didn't take a bivvy and thankfully didn't need it (even though it was the end of August when I did it.

[andrew_s]

The most effective way of saving weight would be to get rid of the panniers (& possibly the rack too), and use strapped on drybags.
This guy has it down to a fine art
You may however find using bubble wrap (72g) as a sleeping mat is a little further than you want to go.

In general, using a bivvy doesn't save useful weight over a light tent, at least once you are out for longer than a reliable weather forecast will cover, as you'd want both a bivvy bag and some form of tarp cover. Getting unpacked and into a bivvy in the rain without getting your gear wet is very difficult, and moving fog will drift in under a tarp and soak an unprotected sleeping bag quite quickly.

You mention "stove" but no cooking pots etc?

I'd assume that "gas trangia" is the whole set including the pans.
The Trangia isn't particularly light, and you could save some weight by using a light gas stove, separate pan(s) and an aluminium foil wind shield (a heavier grade than cooking foil - more like pie dishes).

[crazyferret]

Hi

Thanks for the responses, have been finding them really useful. Here are some of my latest thoughts.

Don't take the lock
Look after your bike in the day when popping into the shops by one staying with them. You should need them at night. Just tie the tent line around your bike so that the tent falls down if someone where to help themselves.

If you are on a budget and need a stove then extra weight and space will be needed if you are carrying food which most likely you will. Don't forget the water you will need for cooking also.

Trip the compass, there are plenty of signs along the roads between jog and lands end

When are you going? If warm time then a tarp will protect you from the rain, but not rain. It would only save you around 500g to 1kg, generally they cost around £30

I also would take heavy tools , just a multi spanner, puncture tepair and small pump.

Just mark on your map where cycle shops are in case you need them, they may even let you pump your tires using a track pump

We have been considering leaving the lock or replacing for a tiny one for some time now and this will probably be the trip that decides it. Unfortunately as we are both students and can't afford to eat out on the trip we will have to cook. I have been using some different tiny stoves when I go walking and they are the way forward, can anyone recommend any that they particularly like. The compass it just a tiny one mounted to the handlebars, we tend to use it when trying to get out of larger cities by just going in roughly the right direction to hit the exit route, although we try and avoid them as much as possible now. I am going to bivi on Dartmoor not long after Christmas, this will be what makes or breaks this idea. I have been talking to lots of people who swear my it though as the setup and pack away times are much faster as well as the weight savings. On our first trips we did take an extensive toolkit however the one we will be taking has enough to get us to the next bike shop and even beyond that. This year we managed to keep going whilst tightening a bottom bracket most nights. As has been mentioned below we have phones to look up shops if we do need them, though we do normally mark points of interest and useful information like this anyway.

Electric bikes or Motorbikes or maybe get yourself beamed to JOG...

Why do you want to do it as fast as possible?

Just mark on your map where cycle shops are in case you need them, they may even let you pump your tires using a track pump[/quote]
The reason for speed is simply for the challenge as well as trying get up north in time to see the tour. We have done a LEJOG once before and have done other long distance tours since. This year we have lower budgets so staying closer to home.

The most effective way of saving weight would be to get rid of the panniers (& possibly the rack too), and use strapped on drybags.
This guy has it down to a fine art
You may however find using bubble wrap (72g) as a sleeping mat is a little further than you want to go.

In general, using a bivvy doesn't save useful weight over a light tent, at least once you are out for longer than a reliable weather forecast will cover, as you'd want both a bivvy bag and some form of tarp cover. Getting unpacked and into a bivvy in the rain without getting your gear wet is very difficult, and moving fog will drift in under a tarp and soak an unprotected sleeping bag quite quickly.

You mention "stove" but no cooking pots etc?

I'd assume that "gas trangia" is the whole set including the pans.
The Trangia isn't particularly light, and you could save some weight by using a light gas stove, separate pan(s) and an aluminium foil wind shield (a heavier grade than cooking foil - more like pie dishes).

I have been looking at bikepacking setups and i think this will be the best way to remove the weight of panniers and rack. Having slept on bubble wrap in a tent before and being freezing we will most likely be stick to foam roll matts, Its only an additional added weight of about ~80g each and im happy to carry that for the difference in warmth. The weight saving from the bivis will be significant, at least 600g reduction each. As i have mentioned before depending on how i like it on Dartmoor in winter i think i should manage it in summer. Its not just the weight saving, the time taken to put up and put away will give us more cycling time. The trangia is bulky with all of the pans but it is reliable and efficient. I will be buying a small stove and already have a light aluminium pot.

So my questions at the end of this are:

What tiny stove would you recommend?
Planning to use it with one of these http://www.cotswoldoutdoor.com/primus-c ... colour=180 to improve fuel economy so we can carry less gas.

Does anyone know any good tricks for carrying stuff without panniers?
Current ideas are somehow strapping a drybag under the saddle and putting loads of stuff in handelbar bag. Not too keen on the idea of a frame bag, expensive and makes carrying water difficult.

If you have any tips for getting packed up, eating and going as quickly as possible in the morning to maximise time in the saddle. As well as tips for getting fed and into bed quickly at night to increase sleep time. This can often be as affective as shedding weight in my opinion, loosing weight is only going to increase speed by so much.

Many thanks

Jack

[ScotchEgg]

Definitely pack an inflatable mat - your back will thank you for it and they are as light as 300gr

[crazyferret]

I have many reasons for using foam mats.

Definitely pack an inflatable mat - your back will thank you for it and they are as light as 300gr

Firstly they are cheaper, they are as warm and are lighter. my foam mat is 90g, the lightest thermarest is closer to 400g for a full length. But they are also really reliable. In terms of sleeping i don't normally notice the difference the extra thickness gives, my primary worry is warmth and I find that warmth to weight foam wins most of the time.