Riding without panniers

[bealer]

I'm going to be doing LEJOG later this Summer. I'll be doing it on my Boardman Team Carbon (which will be interesting), so have no mount points for panniers. My brother's bike is the same.

This initially put me off, but I've found a 10 litre saddle bag by Topeak for storing stuff. Coupled with a 2 litre bag on my handle bars this gives 12 litres. I've got a Camelback on my back, but want to keep that as light as possible. I can still put the odd light thing in there (flip flops etc...).

Still means I have to go super minimal. Here's my kit list (excluding tools, first aid etc...):

- 1 cycle set (top and padded shorts)
- 1 event shell jacket
- Overshoes
- 1 long sleeve merino top
- 1 short sleeve merino top
- 1 trousers (with zip to become shorts)
- 1 pair of pants (seriously)
- 2 pairs of socks
- Flip flops
- Travel towel
- Anti-bacterial soap (for body and clothes)
- Shampoo, deodorant, toothbrush, toothpaste etc...

Figured I can wash the cycle stuff at the end of each day. Same applies to the socks and pants (evening, bedtime use only). Got a net bag to hang them off the bike (can dry on the ride...unless it rains, hmmm). Can rotate the merino tops too, and sleep in them if it does get cold.

Few questions:
- Has anyone got any experiences with taking such a small amount of kit. Any comments, tips, feedback etc...?
- We're planning going in July, so hopefully the weather won't misbehave too much. Will the above list cover all bases ok? I've not been to see the family up in Glasgow for a while, can't remember what it's like there in Summer day/night.
- Anyone take an SLR when they go? I really want to, but it's heavy and big. I'd have to put it on my back. Part of me wants to get some great pictures, but the other half wants a pain-free back.

I've mapped out our routes. Avoided virtually all dual carriage ways, or fast(ish) roads. Mostly country lanes and b-roads. Not too phased by the climbs, we're all quite fit, and up for a bit of pain/challenge. Here's stage 1
http://www.mapmyride.com/ride/united-ki ... 1695966667

[scottg]

General info
http://adventurecycling.org/features/ultralight.cfm

Bike bags
http://carouseldesignworks.com/main.html

By way of bringing coals to Newcastle....
Carradice Camper + Bagman

Well known exponent of light touring with Carradice.
http://www.trentobike.org/Countries/Eur ... _the_Alps/

[mr riff raff]

Why a Camelbak? I'd have thought 2 bottles were a much easier proposition.

Overshoes? What as in winter ones? I thought you were doing it in July!

No deodorant unless you're planning a day off.

[bealer]

I'll be taking 2 bottles, keeping those as full as possible. The camelbak just provides a little more juice, as I tend to go through a lot. I never find two bottles enough, 2 would be better but I don't have space on the bike for a 3rd. Plus the Camelbak provides some carrying space, which given the capacity I have, I'll need.

Overshoes, yeah was wondering about those. Mainly in case it rains, which I'm sure it will. It if doesn't I could do away with my shell jacket too. Would rather keep my feet and shoes dry if it does rain. Got to look after your feet, and the overshoes flat pack quick nicely. I could chance it.

Deodorant I think I'll stick with. Mainly so I sweat less under the arms and stink less. A little stick deodorant is light and small.

[mr riff raff]

2 big bottles would be plenty for an average day. You will pass the odd garage or corner shop you know!

Keep the jacket, ditch the overshoes. If it rains, you're getting wet feet whatever you do as I presume you don't have mudguards on it.

I used my deodorant once in my 11 day LeJog last year and that was on the day off at half-time.

Oh, and buy a smaller digital camera.

[bealer]

I've marked a load of water fill up points. Guess the camelbak won't be filled much, but will be used to keep stuff I can't fit in the 10 litre store. I've always got the option to fill the camelbak then, when going through slightly more remote areas. We're not doing much main road stuff.

Maybe I will leave the overshoes. They're kevlar ones, so do keep you bone dry. Not much extra weight, but all these things add up. Just like to look after my feet. If I get caught in a down pour, not sure if the shoes would dry by the next day as they sometimes don't for my commutes to work. Hate wearing cold wet shoes.

I'll stick with deodorant though. I've got a tiny travel stick one, the size and weight of it is virtually nothing.

I've got a compact camera. Just tempted by my SLR. Do quite a bit of photography, and it's a great chance to get some good photos. I'll see how everything else fits in then decide. Will be doing a few 3 and 4 days back to backs soon, so can see how it feels to carry it. Just want to see if others have taken there's, did they use it much, was the extra weight worth it etc...

[thirdcrank]

You don't mention how long you intend taking or where you are going to stop overnight, both of which have some effect on how much stuff you need. So long as you are prepared to shell out, to some extent, anything needed can be bought along the way, but unless you have some way of carrying it, it would then either have to be dumped, posted home or whatever.

IMO, the most obvious omission is any mention of tools or spares. As an absolute minimum, you need to be able to repair punctures.

Each to his own but there seems something incongruous to me about the Camelbak.

[bealer]

Oops, missing the obvious stuff. It's a 13 dayer, just over 1,000 miles. Staying at hostels (no camping hence no tent etc...)

Tools are all accounted for, I mentioned that they're excluded from the list above. But I have them packed already. Spare tube, chain tool, puncture repair, pump etc... That stuff I'm fine on.

The camelbak is just a bag with a small bladder at the end of the day, think you may be stereotyping it. I don't even have to put the bladder in, although normally I do use it once the bottles have run down. I tend not to stop too often, don't mind carrying a bit more fluid. I need the space though, in it I'll most likely carry my flip flops, odds snacks I don't mind being in easy reach, first aid, any bits i can't fit into the 2l or 10l front and rear bags. So it's not something I can leave behind.

Overshoes, think I may leave. Trying to gauge how much it'll rain during July in England/Scotland. Like of the 13 days, how many of those will it rain on. At a guess I'd say 3 or 4, but I don't have a clue to be honest. What do most people experience?

[rualexander]

Overshoes, think I may leave. Trying to gauge how much it'll rain during July in England/Scotland. Like of the 13 days, how many of those will it rain on. At a guess I'd say 3 or 4, but I don't have a clue to be honest. What do most people experience?

If it's anything like the last couple of Julys, you can maybe expect about 10 or 11 wet days, not a good month for dry weather I'm afraid. Better to go in June or September I reckon.

[TrevA]

You could get 13 days of rain or no rain, it's that unpredictable. July usually brings thunderstorms, so you could potentially get quite wet. For the record, on our 19 day JOGLE ride from mid-May to early June, it rained on the 1st, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th days and then never rained again, apart from one brief shower. It was a heatwave for the last 9 days (and a North-easterly tailwind).

I understand what you are saying about your Camelbak, but apart from the far north of Scotland, you'll be passing a garage or shop every few miles, so if you run out of water you can stop and buy more. We had two 750ml bottles each and found that these would usually last til lunch. We'd fill them up again and they'd usually last the rest of the day, except when it was really hot.

[rualexander]

I understand what you are saying about your Camelbak, but apart from the far north of Scotland, you'll be passing a garage or shop every few miles, so if you run out of water you can stop and buy more. We had two 750ml bottles each and found that these would usually last til lunch. We'd fill them up again and they'd usually last the rest of the day, except when it was really hot.

And once you are in the north of Scotland, or even further south, there are always plenty of small rivers and streams which can supply you with a refill of your two bottles, a pack of purification tablets or a small filter would be much lighter than filling your Camelbak.

[bealer]

Damn it, so July doesn't sound like the best choice of month. We're a bit restricted with dates unfortunately. Hopefully, given the late spring, it'll be a warmer, and some what delayed Summer.

So given the likelihood of rain, should I bother with the overshoes? Did you use them? Miss having them?

The route we're taking is off virtually all English A roads. Used google street view to help find some nice smooth back roads. We'll pass through Exmoor, Peak District, Yorkshire Moors, Lake District, and along the west of Scotland. I'm familiar with Loch Lomond, and Glen Coe, but north of that is all new country. Nice blog btw, just reading it.

[bealer]

I understand what you are saying about your Camelbak, but apart from the far north of Scotland, you'll be passing a garage or shop every few miles, so if you run out of water you can stop and buy more. We had two 750ml bottles each and found that these would usually last til lunch. We'd fill them up again and they'd usually last the rest of the day, except when it was really hot.

And once you are in the north of Scotland, or even further south, there are always plenty of small rivers and streams which can supply you with a refill of your two bottles, a pack of purification tablets or a small filter would be much lighter than filling your Camelbak.

Got some tablets kicking about somewhere. Nice tip, thanks.

[mw3230]

Damn it, so July doesn't sound like the best choice of month. We're a bit restricted with dates unfortunately. Hopefully, given the late spring, it'll be a warmer, and some what delayed Summer.

So given the likelihood of rain, should I bother with the overshoes? Did you use them? Miss having them?

The route we're taking is off virtually all English A roads. Used google street view to help find some nice smooth back roads. We'll pass through Exmoor, Peak District, Yorkshire Moors, Lake District, and along the west of Scotland. I'm familiar with Loch Lomond, and Glen Coe, but north of that is all new country. Nice blog btw, just reading it.

Why the agonising about overshoes - you'll probably be the only rider to be wearing them during the summer but if that's what you want then just take them. Post them home if you realise that you didn't need them.

[thirdcrank]

I think you need to think through what you are going to need when you are not actually cycling. Taking a couple of weeks means that your daily mileage will be approx 70. Young riders, light bikes, no load, mainly main roads etc and you could be looking at 5 hours a day cycling. That leaves quite a bit of spare time. After a couple of days you might get a bit bored washing your smalls in the YHA. Your planning seems more in keeping with a seven day ride or less, when crashing out each night is the main luxury.