UPDATE - went!!! Budget touring : seeking advice on equipment

[Old Blue]

I've never been touring before but am keen to give it a try before I get much older. It's something I have long wanted to do but never had money spare to buy all the gear and I'm afraid if I put it off any longer I'll never get around to it. I've cycled seriously on and off throughout the years, though an injury has kept me off my bike for the last year or two. I'm just now getting back on the bike. I am a lone older female, hoping to ride the Way of the Roses or similar and possibly some other areas in Yorkshire and Lincolnshire. Comfort is far more important to me than weight. It's likely that I will need to wait until next spring if I don't have the proper equipment to hand or don't feel fit enough yet.

I'm hoping to find at least some of what I will need second hand at car boots etc. I am planning on using campgrounds as I am a bit afraid to wild camp on my own, though this may change once I am actually out there. To keep expenses down I am hoping to cook all my own food. I also will need new tyres/tubes and spares to take with me.

If people could suggest anything I have missed out on the list below that is a necessity for touring and also any budget equipment (makes/models) that would do to start out with, I would be very grateful. I'm assuming strong rear panniers will be my biggest expense and while I would love to buy Ortlieb or something else that will last forever, I just can't afford them.

What I have:
Touring bike with sturdy front and rear pannier racks
Tent
Sleeping bag (this is really a lightweight bag found in a skip. I'm not 100% convinced that it'll be warm enough)
Sleeping mat
Front Panniers
Handlebar bag with map holder and rain cover
Heavy duty bin bags
Cotton sheet that I am intending to turn into a sleeping bag liner. I also have a fleece blanket that can be sewn into a liner as it may add warmth to the sleeping bag.
Cycling helmet, clothes, basic bike tools
2 lightweight Poundland tarps to use as a groundsheet for the tent
Travel clothesline
bike locks
water bottles
a heavy duty waterproof bag that can go on top of the rear rack
Usb light and powerbank
Basic Swiss Army knife

What I don't have:
Shoes (without cleats) suitable for cycling and walking
Stove
Cookset
flashlight
Rear panniers
front and rear pannier rain covers
repair bits and pieces
biodegradable soap
pillow
mirrors
What am I missing from the list...?

Thank you for any advice!

[MrsHJ]

From a mature female cyclist-don't over think it (like I always do!). Personally I'd head off in September while it's still mild-don't wait until [insert valid reason here] as sometimes that means it never happens. I'm off in 2weeks despite being totally unfit and still needing to do some work,on the bike.

What I don't have:
Shoes (without cleats) suitable for cycling and walking- not needed, use whatever shoes you currently use for cycling and take a pair of sandals/flip flops/trainers for off the bike.
Stove. You don't need to cook but it is quite good to keep food costs down. Cheap and second hand options should be widely available, I'm sure I have a couple in the attic somewhere.
Cookset- less likely to get second hand as mine are pretty trashed by the time I've finished with them. camping shop own brands?
flashlight- not needed- use a front bike light or a £1.99 little torch you get in garages etc.
Rear panniers hmmm- second hand or eBay or sjs did do some cheap own brand.
front and rear pannier rain covers - use bin bags inside instead.
repair bits and pieces - spare tyre and tyre levers are the only critical things
biodegradable soap millets
pillow- sleep on your fleece wrapped around a pair of shoes although I just got a camping pillow for £1.87 in Sainsbury's -they had a display, discounted, together with some other cheap lightweight stuff.
mirrors- huh?
What am I missing from the list...? You'll Figure it out as you go-a trip to millets or similar around now may yield some good sale items. We use a frisbee as a plate-in theory then it has two uses!

Thank you for any advice!

[whoof]

Bike lights?
You can use the front light as a torch but when camping I like to use a head torch. Lidl and Aldi have these from time to time.
Talking of Lidl they currently have a micro fibre travel towel which isn't on you list.
Decathlon do a two person cookset 1.5 litre pot, trying pan/lid cups fork/spoon for £9.99. If you are cooking rather than warming stuff then this size might be better than a one person set.

[Old Blue]

Thank you both! I currently have shoes with cleats but my pedals are the flat/clip combo type and I didn't want to use cleats if possible. I don't have any trainers but do have a very old pair of hiking boots. I do have flip flops as well.

That Decathlon set looks great. What sort of stove would you recommend - spirit? Gas?

[meejozzz]

Poundland has an inflatable camping pillow for er, one pound! Took mine to the TDF this year for 8 days camping and lasted perfectly well. You can often top up on an emergency set of lights, tubes and odd bits of camping stuff there too.

[Paulatic]

You mention bottles
I take 1 bottle and in the other holder 1 flask. Useful for hot water when in camp or cold water along the road.
I wouldn’t take a pillow, I take a down jacket for warmth and stuff it in a sack for a pillow at night.

[foxyrider]

You might be able to pick up used Ortlieb bags on Ebay or similar or put out a call on somewhere like 'Yorkshire Cycle Sales' group on Facebook. -kd suggest a gas stove - you can get one from @ £10, the gas is clean and fairly easy to obtain - Decathlon / Black's / Go Outdoors are good sources of this stuff.

Certainly don't over think things - there lies madness! I have a short list of tour essentials that go on every trip.

basic first aid kit
Small sewing kit
Sleeping mat
Bag liner - your cotton will be heavy and not very warm, you can get a cheap silk one from Decathlon
Towel
Tool kit (making sure ak's etc are suitable for your bike and that you know how to use them!)

New tyres / tubes should be fitted before the trip not taken as spares - you'd be unlucky to then need a replacement tyre on your trip or indeed to have a puncture. Same with brake blocks / cables. I do take a brake and gear cable on longer trips but they aren't really needed for your chosen areas for this first trip.

Don't take too much stuff, get together everything you think you need - it'll be a big pile. Then, once you are fully bagged pack everything ready to go and try picking up the bike. I can guarantee you'll struggle which is the point at which you start getting a bit picky - do you need 2 tarps, or even 1 if your tent has a sewn in GS, sleeping bag and blanket? - well you get the idea.

It's also worth finding somewhere, maybe just the garden, where you can set up camp including the tent. You don't have to actually cook or bed down but go through the motions. This way you'll find out if you've missed anything and whether you actually need everything you've got. If you've got it right and are lucky you will use everything except the rain coat and first aid kit / spares.

The general rule for clothing is one set on, one set dry, one set in wash plus a set of off bike stuff. Avoid cotton / denim, again Decathlon do some excellent cheap tops and being of the female persuasion a light skirt should suffice off the bike. Do take a good waterproof.

Footwear - you'd be better with a stiff soled shoe than walking boots or you'll get very sore ankles, flip flops or sandals will be fine for off bike footwear.

Just remember that you can eat quite cheaply without resorting to full self catering. Breakfast is of course quite easy unless you are having full English every day, lunch could be a supermarket sandwich but whilst it may dent the budget a little, a pub or takeaway meal in the evening every few days allows you some social interaction and a break from the chore of cooking.

Before you set off do try to have some idea of where you want to camp each night, you don't have to move on every day - multi night stops at say Lincoln allow you to explore without worrying about all your gear. Apart from just giving it a go it's worth having some planned stops, stuff you want to see or visit and keep daily distances less than you'd do as a day ride - all that extra gear will slow you down.

[mnichols]

If in doubt leave it out.

You're touring in the UK so if you decide that not taking something was a mistake you can swing by a town and pick one up.

+1 for Aldi Head Torch. I love mine. Also their waterproof socks and merino wool socks are both great.

[horizon]

I don't think you mention cutlery, a mug, a plate or whatever (this will depend on which cookset you have). If you are cooking, you might want a few extra things like a wooden spoon (or equivalent). I take an old tea towel to do whatever I need it to, kitchenwise.

However, this all starts to add up weightwise. Mercifully, weight and bulk tend to cancel each other out and comfort is about at the point where you cannot carry anything more on the bike. I too would suggest that you put it all together and go for a ride (even a short one) to see how it all packs on the bike.

You'll have to experiment warmth wise at night and a hot water bottle may be worth its weight in gold.

[Warin61]

Head torches are really great. Allows you to burn both hands at once and to see yourself doing it No, really they are much better than a hand torch.

And yes to;
Microfibre towel
Silk sleeping sheet - lighter and quicker to dry.

Sleeping bag .. don't bother with a fleece liner .. that adds too much weight .. get a good bag. Read https://sectionhiker.com/sectionhiker-g ... and-women/ That will give you some ideas, though the products are USA sourced the principles remain.

You will want a sleeping mat to insulate you from the ground, the sleeping bag compressed to nothing under your weight so does not insulate there. Cheap but not comfortable are the closed cell mats. Try one and see if you like it. If not then https://sectionhiker.com/sectionhiker-g ... ping-pads/

Forget a hot water bottle .. again too much weight, and they go cold during the night anyway.

[random37]

First, welcome to bike touring. It's magical. I can't do it at the minute, but I have had fabulous experiences in the past.

Second, I think you should get out there within the next seven days, and see if you can have a decent night's sleep with what you have. Bring sandwiches for tea, and a thermos for when you wake up. I noticed my local Morrisons were selling thermos type flasks for £3 last week. You can sort out the stove later, and you'll see what works for you, rather than depending on the knowledge of random strangers on the Internet.

Forget the endless discussions about gear. People have been all over the world on bikes that had bits hanging off them, with all their luggage in carrier bags. I'm actually on the side of disliking expensive gear, it makes you look conspicuous. I made panniers out of army surplus bread bags once. They are good!

I don't think you need any bike parts if your bike isn't broken, apart from maybe a puncture outfit and a tyre. If you're only going for a night, you can walk back if you get really stuck.

So pump the tyres up, and get out there! And please report back!

[willem jongman]

Wonderful. You already have quite a lot and maybe in some instances even too much. The key to comfort is to travel light. I am 65 and I haved found that the less you take the more rewarding the ride. So in my book that means only rear panniers. But compact gear may cost real money and you already have the front panniers.
For rear panniers I would recommend the waterproof (and bombproof) Ortlieb City Line ones. They are a budget line and you may find a cheap online offer. Our Ortlieb classics are about 20 years old, used daily, and still fine. They are a very good investment.
I think the Petzl Tikkina is the best budget headlight. With the the really cheap alternatives you may be lucky if they last a season (been there).
My personal preference for a stove is a Trangia meth stove. It comes with two pots, a usuable frying pan and a superb windscreen. Solo gas stoves are potentially a bit cheaper but you would still need the pots and a windscreen. The crucial decision is the choice of fuel type. I have opted for meths because in most countries it is easy to get and cheap in use. With gas there are two types of valved cartridges.
Since you say you need new tyres, get some good ones in the widest size that will fit the frame. My recommendation for all round touring tyre is the Schwalbe Almotion but it only exists in a limited number of sizes. German online shops have them rather cheaper.

[pjclinch]

As MrsHJ suggests, don't over-think it. It's worth remembering that while this board has plenty of gear-junkie Enthusiasts who are far too preoccupied with equipment for our own good, we do realise that the real essentials for cycle touring are a bike and the will to go places on it. You don't need to spend much to do that as you've got both of these essentials already.

Going through your list of what you see as issues...

What I don't have:
Shoes (without cleats) suitable for cycling and walking
Stove
Cookset
flashlight
Rear panniers
front and rear pannier rain covers
repair bits and pieces
biodegradable soap
pillow
mirrors

I think you have shoes of some description, because just about everyone does. You don't need anything special as long as they don't rub and give you blisters.

Stove, look up coke-can stoves, or just live on cold food and drink for a couple of days. Cookset, if you have a small pan at home you've got a cookset. Will be a bit heavier than a "proper" camping one, but are you in a hurry?

Flashlight, well you just need any sort of torch, and again there's probably one you have lying around. Yes, it's good to have super waterproof caving lamps capable of illuminating the surface of the moon, but any old torch will do. Head torches available for a few pounds on e-Bay, probably in Poundland, occasionally in Lidl etc.

Rear panniers, various options but worst case is put lowriders on the back and that will give you a good wide platform to bungee stuff to.

Rain covers are a waste of space IMHO. They make getting at the pannier hard, and with all your waterproofing on the outside you can't put anything wet inside. Compartmentalise inside using heavy duty plastic bags (10p Tesco plastic Bag For Life will do this fine).

Pillow, take your sleeping bag stuffscak and fill it with the day's clothes. One pillow.

Mirrors, for the bike I presume? Save money on mirrors by looking over your shoulder...

That might not amount to pretty, but getting out and doing is far more important than putting it off until you've got "the right gear". You can lay very good odds that someone's out there doing it with less than you've got and having fun right now!

Pete.

[whoof]

Thank you both! I currently have shoes with cleats but my pedals are the flat/clip combo type and I didn't want to use cleats if possible. I don't have any trainers but do have a very old pair of hiking boots. I do have flip flops as well.

That Decathlon set looks great. What sort of stove would you recommend - spirit? Gas?

We could probably start a complete new forum entitled 'Which is the best stove'.

Gas makes for very controllable cooking, it's clean, relatively safe, you can store the cylinder inside your pannier. They can be relatively (to meths) more expensive. There are different types of fittings screw, clip and piercable, although I think the latter is or had been fazzed out.

Meths is relatively cheap. You can get a stove for free, someone above mention 'beer can' stove, look on you tube.
It can be more difficult to control when cooking. You can buy or make something called a simmer ring. You probably want to store your meths in a bottle cage. A clip on 3rd cage under the down tube? There is a greater risk of fire. You will probably need some form of pot stand.

When touring I have used; one of two gas stoves, a meths burner, a beer can stove and honeybox wood burner. For actual cooking I would use a gas stove.

One thing I would add is a shield as it save time and fuel, especially if it's a bit windy.
Never used this one it's just to show you what one is. I also use it to heat wraps (which I fill with rice, veg and salsa) and pitta or nan bread by turning the stove down as low as it will goes and lying the shield over the top of it.
You can make your own from some cardboard wrapped in a few layers of aluminium foil although I wouldn't try and heat bread products with one. .

https://www.decathlon.co.uk/camp-stove- ... 58095.html

[hamster]

Do a short overnight tour. The purpose is not huge miles but to pack the bike, ride it and see what you have forgotten and need (and have taken and didn't use). Ride say an hour and camp.

Some people will happily sleep in a hedge in a bin bag and eat dry food rehydrated with cold water; others take a camping chair, bottle of wine and a couple of books. Alternatively you can travel in the clothes you stand up in and use B&Bs and hotels. There is no single right answer!