The most underrated pieces of cycle touring kit

[smith4188]

+1 for compass, next to the map in the bar bag mapholder thingy. Another reason why bar bags are worth having.

[bogmyrtle]

Bin bags. 101 uses.

[Nettled Shin]

Bin bags. 101 uses.

Oh yes. One on the left leg, one on the right leg, and one over your torso...waterproofs! In fact they're better than normal waterproofs because the bin liners cover under your feet.

[djoptix]

My waterproof overshoes.

[PhilWhitehurst]

toothbrush

[Benethi]

A Towel, and a Kindle.

[hoogerbooger]

1) yellow felty absorbant dish cloths - dull ? but do loadsa jobs. ( & soooo much better than a J-cloth) very absorbant, ring em out, dry in minutes. No need for a pack towel ( or maybe the weeniest one) wipe off and dry the tent fly in 5 minutes in the morning to get away quick. If you are short of water you can get up to 75cl from condensation from the fly sheet. Want to keep milk cool at a camp site - wrap the cloth round it and sit in bowl of water in a breeze out of direct sun - it's a mini-evapo fridge.

2) black Ortlieb stuff sack - it's a waterproof bag, it's a water carrier, it's a place to keep your beer cold. Or fill it up with water - leave in the sun - and it's warm water to wash your clothes in. Fill it partially with air, partially with precious things attach to lanyard attached to you & go swimming and your stuff is not getting knicked from the beach. Or you could fill it up fully with air and pretend it's an inflated goat skin to float yourself across the Brahmaputra ( I take no responsibility if you try it tho)

3) dental floss & upholstry needle - sew anything up, bags, your arm back on, holes in tyres ( I had a sidewall that lasted two years after such a fix mid tour)( my arm did eventually get gangreen- but it didn't fall off again ! It's remarkably strong stuff.

4) small tubes of araldite and shoe repair glue - and if something doesn't break to fix - you can always sniff it, when the camping gas runs out (that's just a joke - please don't try this at home)(I fixed a pump with a blob of araldite in a middle of nowhere tour once - I love araldite - too good to sniff)

[PaulCumbria]

black Ortlieb stuff sack... Fill it partially with air, partially with precious things attach to lanyard attached to you & go swimming and your stuff is not getting knicked from the beech.

That's a cracking idea!

[chrisc]

Duct tape. Always have some with me on tour.

[John-D]

A string bag attached to the saddle by a karabiner and resting on the rack.

Holds food I buy along the way (eg breakfast, especially in France where it usually includes a selection from the boulangerie; and food for the evening meal picked up prior to the campsite).

Damp clothes dry in it too and it's handy for wet weather stuff on a showery day.

[CoolHandLuke]

The empty space at the top of the pannier. I'm amazed by how many tourists feel obliged to fill up all available storage space. I've done plenty of touring (including cycle-camping in Orkney in October, brrr!) and I've still not found a need for any more than two rear panniers and a cargo net on the racktop. I'm mystified by what people find to fill front panniers, barbags and trailers with...

Let me be the first to help you understand what others pack into four panniers.

Front Carradice super C.

Left pannier, thermarest prolite 4 mat.in outside pouch, tool kit, puncture kit.

Right pannier, snugpak merlin 3 sleeping bag, outside pocket, spare batteries, matches, lighter.



Rear, Carradice super c,

Left pannier, Terra Nova superlight solar 2.2 tent, set of pots, utensils cutting board, stove, emergency food for 2 days,

Right pannier, 3 cycling shirts, 3 cycling shorts, 2 pair socks, 3 pair boxer shorts, fleece, zip off trousers, 1 pair shoes, 1 shirt, waterproof jacket, waterproof trousers.

Hope your somewhat enlightened.

Back in 97, when I first did this, I had to use maps and the bar bag was stuffed with maps + chocolate or other energy food.
The next time in 2003, I used the bar bag again for the same reason, but didn't require as many maps.

Left front: Stove, saucepan,plate, cup, petrol, wooden spoon + fork & spoon (I am old fashioned and like them separate. I can stir my tea and eat my pasta :p).
Right front: food; milk, bread, dried food, etc.
Left rear: Sleeping bag, contact lens stuff
Right Rear: Clothing; waterproof top & bottom, 1 x spare shorts, a couple of shirts, a few pairs of socks, a towel (which sometimes got draped over the panniers to dry as I cycled along).
Resting on the luggage rack: Tent wrapped in the ground mat.

Tools, and toiletries, etc. Get stuffed where there is room, which there is usually plenty.

If I were to do this again, it would change slightly as I have a smaller sleeping bag and ground mat and the requirement for detailed paper maps is unlikely.

Taking a full suite of luggage means you have plenty of room for storing other essentials like toilet roll, water and food. It is also useful if you purchase something to take home.

[largeallan]

Instead of carrying a weighty packet of chewing gum; why not simply chew on an elastic band with a dob of toothpaste?

[welshwoodsman]

Duct tape. Always have some with me on tour.

wrap the duct tape around your pump,so you wont have to bring a whole roll of it.

[foxyrider]

My waterproof overshoes.

Agree entirely, nothing worse than wet feet!

[welshwoodsman]

My waterproof overshoes.

Agree entirely, nothing worse than wet feet!

Wet crotch? (from the rain!)