Riding without panniers

Specific board for this popular undertaking.
Mike G
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Joined: 6 Apr 2010, 2:32pm

Re: Riding without panniers

Post by Mike G »

Just one spare inner tube? I think I would probably take 2 per bike.......

Mike
thirdcrank
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Joined: 9 Jan 2007, 2:44pm

Re: Riding without panniers

Post by thirdcrank »

bealer wrote:Space is an issue, I guess what goes in will be different for each person though, as you value some things more than others. Everything I'm mentioning has to fit into around 13 litres worth of bag space. It's not a case of going minimum. It's more I have 13 litres of space, and want to use it as best as possible. ... .


I understand all that and I was not being critical or prescriptive. The priorities have to be yours. I note, for example that you have doubled your underpants count (from 1pr to 2) rather than going the other way, one pair shared between three :wink: I was just suggesting that isotonic* powders etc might be one item too many. (Several items?)

I think my main points are that you may well cover the daily rides faster than you anticipate, and then with time on your hands, you may miss some of life's small luxuries.

* or should that be electrolytic? :oops:
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meic
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Location: Caerfyrddin (Carmarthen)

Re: Riding without panniers

Post by meic »

In 30,000 miles i have had 2 inner tubes fail beyond repair, valves pulled off the tube in both cases.
On both occasions I managed to buy a replacement spare before I got another puncture even.
You could say it was 10,000 miles before that was needed even. :)

As you are riding in a group the chances of you all destroying more than one inner tube before getting a chance to replace them is VERY low even in remote Scotland.
Yma o Hyd
bealer
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Joined: 1 Apr 2010, 1:16pm

Re: Riding without panniers

Post by bealer »

Mike G wrote:Just one spare inner tube? I think I would probably take 2 per bike.......


As mentioned above we'll probably only take a couple between us. Two of us will be on armadillo's which are pretty solid, never get many punctures with them. And along the whole route I've marked out bike shops. If we use a spare inner tube, we can grab a replacement spare when we pass a shop. Or fix the broken one.
DougieB
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Location: Barcelona

Re: Riding without panniers

Post by DougieB »

this is quite an interesting conversation. I think it shows just how relative everything is. the idea of minimal packing, long-distance and luxuries.

fortunately you are riding from LE to JoG, so you are starting the ride at the more populated end of the country. this means you can stop 'n' shop for those things you forgot about. and post back those things that are weighing you down for no purpose.

I doubt, for 70-100 miles per day, hi-tech drinks will make any difference. assuming you manage to a decent evening meal. I've always thought of them as a placebo, unless you're a racing athlete.

instead of overshoes, pack a couple of carrier bags for your feet (inside your shoes) when it rains. going commando will be better for your nether regions while off the bike (saving on underwear). shampoo ? share a bar of soap amongst the three of you; you're all good friends right ?

deodorant doesn't stop you sweating, it just 're-fragrances' the sweat. antiperspirant actually stops you sweating, by blocking the glands. although, for me, it has no place in my cycling bags. if you're planning on socialising I understand you're taking it, though.

it sounds like you have an idea of minimal, and are trying to stick to that idea. despite wanting to take more (SLR, notepad, book). as has been said, you'll have a lot of time off the bike. so maybe some additional luxuries would make the trip flow better, and therefore a larger bag might be worth thinking about. I think you have to be careful not to dump on your mate that's taking panniers, by loading him up with the stuff you're too proud to take.

I'm sure you'll enjoy the ride whatever you take. I seriously doubt there will be snow though.
bealer
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Re: Riding without panniers

Post by bealer »

:)

Cheers, ah yeah I meant antiperspirant not deodorant. I just take the little stick ones. Not so much for the day, but at the end of the day after a shower, popping to a pub etc...

Are the carrier bags a good idea? Wont my feet struggle to breathe/sweat (assuming you mean put the bags over my socks).

Always commando with the cycling gear :) Never liked wearing cotton underneath. Hence 1 or 2 pairs of pants, I'll just use them for the evening. Can wash my cycle gear each evening, get the sweat/salts out. You're right too, we could get away with one bar of soup maybe for body, hair and clothes. Buy a new one along the way if we need it. I plan on having my hair shortish, makes it easier to wash.

Interesting comments on the drink powders. I guess water during the day is probably enough. The space/weight that some tablets or sachets take up I'm still tempted, even for the placebo affect!
The protein powder though, I find does make a difference. Just for my back to back cycle during the week. And when I go snowboarding. Typically gives me all the stuff I am not always able to get into my diet, and may not be able to at a pub or hostel. I'd at least like 2 sachets worth for after the two 105 mile stages we now have. But it's something that I may leave out.

Just reminded me too, got a potential drop point in Glasgow, so can shed some gear there, get my uncle to post it back home.
Found an Evans Cycles in the Lake District too, so could buy the drinks sachets there when we need them, rather than carrying them from the beginning.
scottg
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Location: Highland Heights Kentucky,, USA

Re: Riding without panniers

Post by scottg »

bealer wrote:
Mike G wrote: Two of us will be on armadillo's which are pretty solid, never get many punctures with them.


You are worrying about grams and riding armadillos ??, I have lorry tires with lower RR than armadillos. :)
Which brings up what pump are you going to use to add air to the tires everyday ?, one that won't rip out
a valve when you are not quite awake in the morning. (I bought a Mountain Morph while touring)
Standing around waiting for patching or carry several tubes between you and patch in the evening, which is faster ?
+++++++++++++++++++++++++
Deutsche Luftschiffahrts-AG
+++++++++++++++++++++++++
bealer
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Joined: 1 Apr 2010, 1:16pm

Re: Riding without panniers

Post by bealer »

They're 23c arma's, solid, but small and light(ish). The pressure we need in them is around 120psi (I think that's the right measurement), which makes them rock hard, and difficult to pump up. And as you mention (and I've frustratingly experienced outside Oval tube station), crappy portable pumps can rip a delicate value off easily.

I bought the wrong portable pump (Specialized Air something). It won't be going with us. My brother has one, can't rememeber the name, but it's a portable one with a flexible tube nozzley bit. Won an award winner in MTB Magazine (or whatever the mag was). It's something we'll need to test out though. No chance of taking the Joe Blow foot pump with us.

Is there anything you can do at petrol stations. I won't have the right type of valve but are there any sort of adapters or handy travel thing that could make the air hose work? Or we best just sticking with a good portable?

I think we should be ok with two spare tubes, or maybe just one each. Chances that there are 3 punctures in one day with arma's are quite slim. Especially on 23c road tyres. And any we use, we can as you mention patch them in the evening, or buy a replacement (I've marked cycle stores on each stage).
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Ben Lovejoy
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Re: Riding without panniers

Post by Ben Lovejoy »

On the camera question, I started out with my SLR but (having the luxury of being able to choose on a day-to-day basis) soon decided not to bother with it. Almost all the photos of my LEJOG were taken with a Samsung NV24HD (chosen because of the wide-angle lens):
http://www.benlovejoy.com/cycle/tripreports/lejog/
TRICE Q with Streamer fairing for the fun stuff
Brompton M3L for the commutery stuff
LEJOG blog: http://www.benlovejoy.com/cycle/tripreports/lejog/
alans
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Joined: 15 Apr 2007, 9:41pm

Re: Riding without panniers

Post by alans »

I did a 3 week JoGLE last year & started wth far too much gear.After one week I whittled it down to much like your list & as you propose,washed my kit daily.I ended up with a Barley saddle bag(7 litres) & an Ortlieb Barbag(5 litres).
Next time I will use the experience to carry a little less but probably use the same luggage.
Gearoidmuar
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Joined: 29 Sep 2007, 7:35pm
Location: Cork, Ireland. Corcaigh, Éire má tá Gaeilge agat.

Re: Riding without panniers

Post by Gearoidmuar »

meic wrote:In 30,000 miles i have had 2 inner tubes fail beyond repair, valves pulled off the tube in both cases.
On both occasions I managed to buy a replacement spare before I got another puncture even.
You could say it was 10,000 miles before that was needed even. :)

As you are riding in a group the chances of you all destroying more than one inner tube before getting a chance to replace them is VERY low even in remote Scotland.


Fair enough. I repair mine too, but usually at home. I was touring one morning in Scotland with my lady wife and having not had a touring puncture for several years (I tour a lot), fate decreed that that we were to get three punctures in an hour, on three of our four wheels. Now, it was bucketing rain at the time and very windy. You can see why I always carry three tubes per bike. Trying to patch tubes in the open in such conditions would be about as much fun as being Gordon Brown's charm coach.
bealer
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Joined: 1 Apr 2010, 1:16pm

Re: Riding without panniers

Post by bealer »

alans wrote:I did a 3 week JoGLE last year & started wth far too much gear.After one week I whittled it down to much like your list & as you propose,washed my kit daily.I ended up with a Barley saddle bag(7 litres) & an Ortlieb Barbag(5 litres).
Next time I will use the experience to carry a little less but probably use the same luggage.


Nice, that's a similar litre capacity to what I've got.

I've been training with the rear one on, loaded up. Everything goes in ok. My dSLR fits in the front one too with a couple of bits. My brother has agreed to take a few more shared bits so I can take the SLR (which will become his at the end of the trip). Bike feels ok. Only time I really notice anything is turning very tightly at slow speed, or turning/leaning at very high speed (50kph or so). Back feels a bit funny then and I don't have as much turning grip/confidence so usually have to go on the brakes a bit more. Did 70km in 3 hours which is ok. Just need to keep stepping up the distance a bit of a time until we reach about 150km.

Booked our train tickets too. £22.50 (16-25 card), and £32 for us older cyclists. First class. Quite chuffed with that. Especially given how much I spent going to and fro from uni at Exeter back in the day.
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