Psamathe wrote:Not yet got gear together (or even purchased) and next step is checking out bike gearing/handling so I was wondering what sort of gear weight (total) people end-up carrying when loaded camping (tent, stove, sleeping bag, sleeping mat, etc.). Just wondering about the overall total (not individual item weights!).
My expectation is 4 panniers; already got the rear rack/panniers and front rack and panniers are on order so next step is to load them to a realistic weight and go for a ride and find a few hills (OK, East Anglia so I'll be using "inclines").
My spreadsheet estimate had so many guesses and omissions that I gave up as the errors meant I felt it was not useful.
Thanks
Ian
I don't think there's a general rule, we all have different ways to do things and different ways to live life.
For example, I love to sit down on the grass, that's why I go outdoors. If I want to stay on a chair, I may as well stay in the sofa at home, but I understand other people may like to read a book while sitting on a camping chair. It's just me that doesn't need it
Same for other things, some people like their lots of things around, others like to go around the world with very little.
I know two people who are going around the world with every bag you can fit on a bicycle, plus a trailer; and another guy who's cycling from London to New Zealand with as little as he could (I think he has two panniers and a small handlebar bag).
None of them is wrong or is right, they're just two different approaches.
I tend to stay within the "carry less stuff" approach, for two reasons: when I go outdoors I'm having a break from the comfort and indulgence of the day-to-day life, and because I'm not the strongest/fastest cyclist out there then every kg I don't carry it's all gain.
For overnights or 2-3 day trips in good weather I may carry as little as 3kg, in bad weather there is obviously a full set of waterproofs and another set of spare clothing so there's about 1.5kg more.
As far as food, I choose simple stuff like couscous/porridges and resupply with fresh stuff on the road (plenty of farms where to buy eggs and the likes
). For cooking I use wood on long trips, plus a couple of Esbit blocks for emergency; on short trips I find the humble ethanol/Trangia stove to be very convenient and reliable.